Dual trough concentrating solar photovoltaic module

1. A photovoltaic solar energy collector suitable for use in a solar energy collection system that includes the collector, a stand that supports the collector and a tracking system that causes the collector to track movements of the sun along at least one axis, the collector comprising:

a plurality of reflector panels;

a support structure that supports the reflector panels, wherein the support structure supports the reflector panels in a manner that defines a pair of adjacent reflector troughs, each trough having a base, a pair of reflective side walls and a trough aperture suitable for receiving incident sunlight during operation of the collector;

a plurality of solar receivers, each solar receiver being positioned generally adjacent an edge of an associated trough and including at least one photovoltaic cell, wherein each reflective sidewall is configured to direct incident sunlight directly onto a corresponding solar receiver using a single stage of concentration during operation of the collector; and

a frame that is coupled to the support structure near the bases of the troughs to define a closed reflector support truss framework in cooperation with the support structure, wherein the reflector support truss framework is positioned behind the reflector troughs such that the reflector support truss framework does not shadow the reflector panels during operation of the collector.

2. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 1 wherein each side wall is formed from a single, independent reflector panel.

3. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 1 wherein the support structure has a plurality of curved ribs and the reflector panels are generally planar panels that are elastically bent to match the curvature of the curved ribs to facilitate concentrating incident sunlight at the receivers.

4. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of reflector panels, the support structure and the frame are made of the same material.

5. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 4 wherein the reflector panels, the support structure and the frame are made of aluminum.

6. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 1 wherein the reflector panels have a curvature that approximates a segment of a parabola.

7. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 6 wherein the reflector panels have a curvature that approximates a quarter segment of a parabola.

8. A photovoltaic solar energy collection system comprising:

a collector as recited in claim 1 having a bisecting plane that defines a pair of adjacent reflector troughs and a longitudinal plane; and

a stand that pivotally supports the collector for pivotal movement about a pivot axis that is located substantially in the bisecting plane; and

wherein the center of gravity of the collector is near the longitudinal collector axis.

9. A photovoltaic solar energy collection system as recited in claim 8 wherein the center of gravity of the collector passes through the pivot axis.

10. A photovoltaic solar energy collection system as recited in claim 8 further comprising a tracking system for controlling the pivotal movement of the collector relative to the stand to facilitate directing the collector towards the sun in one axis.

11. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 1 wherein the reflector panels are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, tempered glass, and silver laminate.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of reflector panels include a plurality of laminate silver coated reflective layers.

13. A photovoltaic solar energy collector suitable for use in a solar energy collection system that includes the collector, a stand that supports the collector and a tracking system that causes the collector to track movements of the sun along at least one axis, the collector comprising:

a plurality of generally planar reflector panels;

a support structure including a plurality of ribs having curved support surfaces that support the reflector panels, wherein the curvature of the support surfaces approximates a segment of a parabola, and wherein the support structure supports the reflector panels in a manner that defines a pair of adjacent reflector troughs, each trough having a base, a pair of reflective side walls and a trough aperture suitable for receiving incident sunlight during operation of the collector, and wherein each side wall is formed from one of the plurality of reflector panels that is elastically bent to match the curvature of the curved support surfaces to facilitate concentrating incident sunlight;

a multiplicity of solar receivers, each solar receiver being positioned generally adjacent an edge of an associated trough and including at least one photovoltaic cell, wherein each reflective sidewall is configured to direct incident sunlight directly onto a corresponding solar receiver using a single stage of concentration during operation of the collector; and

a frame that is coupled to the support structure near the bases of the troughs to define a closed reflector support truss framework in cooperation with the support structure, wherein the reflector support truss framework is positioned behind the reflector troughs such that the reflector support truss framework does not shadow the reflector panels during operation of the collector.

14. A photovoltaic solar energy collector as recited in claim 13 wherein the collector has a pivot axis and a center of gravity of the collector is near the pivot axis.

15. A power generation plant having an array of collectors having a stand that supports the collectors and a tracking system that causes the collectors to track movements of the sun along at least one axis, each of the collectors in the array of collectors comprising:

a plurality of reflector panels;

a support structure that supports the reflector panels, wherein the support structure supports the reflector panels in a manner that defines a pair of adjacent reflector troughs, each trough having a base, a pair of reflective side walls and a trough aperture suitable for receiving incident sunlight during operation of the collector;

a plurality of solar receivers, each solar receiver being positioned generally adjacent an edge of an associated trough and including at least one photovoltaic cell, wherein each reflective sidewall is configured to direct incident sunlight directly onto a corresponding solar receiver using a single stage of concentration during operation of the collector; and

a frame that is coupled to the support structure near the bases of the troughs to define a closed reflector support truss framework in cooperation with the support structure, wherein the reflector support truss framework is positioned behind the reflector troughs such that the reflector support truss framework does not shadow the reflector panels during operation of the collector.

16. A power generation plant as recited in claim 15 wherein each side wall is formed from a single, independent reflector panel.

17. A power generation plant as recited in claim 15 wherein the support structure has a plurality of curved ribs and the reflector panels are generally planar panels that are elastically bent to match the curvature of the curved ribs to facilitate concentrating incident sunlight at the receivers.

18. A power generation plant as recited in claim 15 wherein the reflector panels have a curvature that approximates a segment of a parabola.

19. A power generation plant as recited in claim 18 wherein the reflector panels have a curvature that approximates a quarter segment of a parabola.

20. A power generation plant as recited in claim 15 wherein the collectors are arranged in a plurality of rows, each row having a plurality of collectors positioned side-by-side in a longitudinal direction with a gap of no more than 10 millimeters between the reflective side walls of adjacent collectors.