Design of a polymer optical fiber luminescent solar concentrator

We present the design and optimization of a polymeric optical fiber luminescent solar concentrator (FLSC) and systematically investigate the impact of the geometrical and physical parameters of the fiber and active luminescent dopants on the FLSC performance. A multiplicity of individual FLSCs may be arranged on a surface to form a low-weight and mechanically flexible solar concentrating fabric. In addition to these unique structural properties, we find that the overall optical-to-electrical conversion efficiency of the FLSC rivals that of reported flat slab LSCs while increasing the geometric gain, thereby potentially reducing the cost. Copyright (c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.