Concentrating solar power is another way to use the sunlight’s energy with maximum spatial efficiency and cheap solar cells (organic ones, for example). I have just received a comment on one of my articles this afternoon from a certain mr. Ryszard Dzikowski, who presents his innovation I call “solar sandwich”, consisting of two Gratzel organic cells, faced one another, and covered by reflective layers on the sides, except for one, which is used to feed the aggregate with light.
There are also other scientists we have discussed about who approached the same optical fiber solar cell solution, but I find Dzikowski’s solar panel easier to build for a DIYer. Above is a picture (from his website), showing the spatial advantages of his solar cell sandwich over a flat, open solar panel.
The light in Dzikowski’s innovation enters through one of the narrow sides, helped by optical fibers and possibly a solar concentrator, it then reflects in the faced mirrors and enters the solar cells multiple times before losing the energy. The following drawing shows how Dzikowski’s solar panel works (click to enlarge):
Also, a working unit, presumably on the inventor’s desk:
