Evaluation and Modeling of Concentrator Photovoltaics (CPV) in Morocco

Project lead

© B. Lammel | Bundesfoto GbR

Prof. Ali Ahaitouf,
Université Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah,
Faculté des Sciences et Techniques,
Fes, Morocco
in cooperation with

© B. Lammel | Bundesfoto GbR

Dr. Gerald Siefer,
Fraunhofer-Institute for Solar Energy Systems,
Freiburg, Germany

Project description

The expansion of renewable energies is essential for energy security and climate protection in both Africa and Germany. Thanks to its many hours of sunshine and its infrastructure, Morocco offers great potential for the generation of clean and sustainable energy. This can create new jobs and opportunities for economic development.

Concentrator photovoltaics (CPV) makes it possible to generate a comparatively large amount of power on a very small module area: the cells used are high efficiency multi-junction solar cells - their use is made possible by applying optical lenses and mirrors to concentrate the sunlight on relatively small areas. However, a major advantage of CPV technology is that it can be manufactured locally to a large extent and requires comparatively low investment costs. The use of CPV therefore reduces dependence on energy imports and creates local added value.

The Moroccan Université Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah has been researching CPV for over 10 years, with the aim of realising the most cost-effective options for solar tracking and developing new micro-CPV modules that use even less material.

In the EMCoM cooperation project, the project partners Prof. Ahaitouf and Dr. Siefer are pooling their experience in the field of concentrator photovoltaics in order to be able to generate renewable energy locally, cost-effectively and with a wide range of possible applications. The CPV technology will be further developed in German and Moroccan laboratories and the potential of CPV modules for North Africa will be evaluated using Morocco as an example. The development of cost-effective solutions for CPV tracking systems, for example, should reduce the overall costs of the CPV system. Energy yield modeling will also be used to precisely predict the expected energy yields at individual locations - essential information for future investors.

Professor Ahaitouf receives the German African Innovation Incentive Award (GAIIA) for his excellent research on concentrator photovoltaics in Morocco in combination with a convincing proposal for the German-African cooperation project EMCoM.

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