The Institute for Concentration Photovoltaics Systems was aimed to study, develop, and foster CPV energy. After more than 5 years since the creation of ISFOC, CPV energy now holds a prominent position in the photovoltaic area, being competitive regarding investment/energy production. However, CPV technology has a number of peculiarities different from other photovoltaic technologies that should be taken into account and analysed before the construction or investment in a CPV plant, such as the weather conditions, the dimensions, and equipment selection.
The proposed methodology below has been successfully used by ISFOC. That is the reason why ISFOC recommends dividing the tasks into 4 phases to be carried out consecutively, the first phase being crucial and totally essential before planning the construction of a plant, whether CPV or any other technology, with some degree of success:
- Phase 1: Technical feasibility report of the project
- Phase 2: Call for tenders, Engineering, and Construction
- Phase 3: Determination of power and Acceptance tests
- Phase 4: Monitoring and performance assessment