Concentrating solar collector

1. A photovoltaic solar energy collector suitable for use in a solar energy collection system that tracks movements of the sun along at least one axis, the collector having an aperture and comprising:

at least one reflector panel defining a reflector trough having a longitudinal axis and the aperture, there being a longitudinal plane that is substantially coplanar with the aperture; and

at least one solar receiver, each solar receiver including a plurality of photovoltaic cells having active cell faces that are oriented substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal plane, wherein each solar receiver is positioned adjacent to a top edge of the reflector trough.

2. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 1 , wherein each reflector panel is arranged to direct incident sunlight to the photovoltaic cells using a single reflection.

3. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a support structure that supports a plurality of the reflector panels, wherein the support structure supports the reflector panels in a manner that defines the reflector trough, the reflector trough having the longitudinal axis, a trough base, a pair of reflective side walls and a trough aperture suitable for receiving incident sunlight during operation of the solar energy collection system.

4. A solar energy collector as recited in claim 3 , wherein the at least one solar receiver is positioned outside the trough aperture such that the at least one solar receiver does not shade any of the reflective side walls during operation.

5. A solar energy collector as recited in claim 3 , wherein the support structure supports a plurality of the reflector panels in a manner that defines a pair of adjacent reflector troughs.

6. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 3 , wherein each solar receiver is positioned generally above an associated reflective side wall and arranged to receive solar radiation reflected from an opposing reflective side wall.

7. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 3 , wherein each reflector side wall has a curvature that resembles a segment of a parabola and is arranged to direct incident sunlight to a receiver positioned over an opposing side wall using a single reflection.

8. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 1 , wherein each solar receiver includes:

a base plate that carries at least one of the photovoltaic cells on a front surface of the base plate; and

a plurality of spaced apart heat transfer fins carried on a back surface of the base plate, wherein the fins extends outwardly from the base plate to define a plurality of air flow channels that extend substantially perpendicular to the trough aperture and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

9. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 3 , wherein: the trough aperture has an aperture axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; and

the at least one solar receiver is a plurality of solar receivers, each solar receiver being positioned generally adjacent and above an associated side wall such that the solar receivers do not shade the reflective side walls during operation in a mode the tracks movement of the sun along one axis, each solar receiver including,

a base plate, and

at least one photovoltaic cell carried on a front surface of the base plate.

10. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of solar receivers further comprises a plurality of spaced apart fins extending outwardly from the base plate, and wherein the fins define a plurality of air flow channels to receive an air flow, the plurality of air flow channels extend substantially vertically when the trough aperture faces upward, and wherein the air flow is not obstructed by the plurality of photovoltaic cells.

11. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 10 , wherein the fins have a serpentine configuration.

12. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 11 , wherein for each receiver, a multiplicity of the receiver's fins are formed from a continuous metal sheet.

13. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 9 , wherein each receiver further includes an optically transparent encapsulant layer that covers the photovoltaic cells associated with the receiver and a transparent protective sheet that covers the encapsulant layer.

14. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of receiver support rails, each receiver support rail being coupled to the support structure and positioned generally adjacent an edge of an associated trough, wherein each receiver support rail slidably supports at least one associated solar receiver.

15. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 14 , wherein each receiver support rail slidably receives a plurality of solar receivers to support the receiver in a manner such that the receivers are thereby mechanically decoupled along the receiver support rails in a longitudinal direction.

16. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 9 , further comprising an insulating layer directly applied to the base plate and positioned between the base plate and the photovoltaic cells.

17. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the active faces of the photovoltaic cells are oriented substantially in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the reflector trough.