Visibly transparent, luminescent solar concentrator

A method of making a visibly transparent photovoltaic system, the method comprising:

• providing a visibly transparent substrate having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of side edges, wherein the visibly transparent substrate exhibits an average visible band transmission of 45% or more;
• coupling a luminescent dye layer to the visibly transparent substrate, wherein the luminescent dye layer exhibits:
• absorption at all wavelengths in a visible band of from 0% to 50%,
• a peak absorption wavelength in an ultraviolet band or a near-infrared band, and
• a peak photoluminescent emission wavelength in the near infrared band;
• coupling a photovoltaic device to a side edge of the plurality of side edges to position the photovoltaic device to receive photoluminescent emission from the luminescent dye layer, wherein the photovoltaic device absorbs light in the near-infrared band for generation of electrical energy;
• coupling a wavelength selective mirror to the top surface, wherein the wavelength selective mirror reflects light at the peak photoluminescent emission wavelength, transmits light at the peak absorption wavelength, and transmits light in the visible band;
• and
• comprising coupling a second wavelength selective mirror to the bottom surface, wherein the second wavelength selective mirror reflects light at the peak photoluminescent emission wavelength, transmits light at the peak absorption wavelength, and transmits light in the visible band.

A method of generating electricity, the method comprising:

• providing a visibly transparent photovoltaic system, wherein the visibly transparent photovoltaic system includes:
• a visibly transparent substrate having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of side edges, wherein the visibly transparent substrate exhibits an average visible band transmission of 45% or more;
• a luminescent dye layer coupled to the visibly transparent substrate, wherein the luminescent dye layer exhibits:
• absorption at all wavelengths in a visible band of from 0% to 50%,
• a peak absorption wavelength in an ultraviolet band or a near-infrared band, and
• a peak photoluminescent emission wavelength in the near-infrared band;
• a photovoltaic device positioned at a side edge of the plurality of side edges to receive photoluminescent emission from the luminescent dye layer, wherein the photovoltaic device absorbs light in the near-infrared band for generation of electrical energy;
• a wavelength selective mirror coupled to the top surface, wherein the wavelength selective mirror reflects light at the peak photoluminescent emission wavelength, transmits light at the peak absorption wavelength, and transmits light in the visible band;
• and
• a second wavelength selective mirror coupled to the bottom surface, wherein the second wavelength selective mirror reflects light at the peak photoluminescent emission wavelength, transmits light at the peak absorption wavelength, and transmits light in the visible band;
• and
• exposing the visibly transparent photovoltaic system to incident light having wavelengths in the visible band, wavelengths in the ultraviolet band, and wavelengths in the near-infrared band, wherein at least a portion of the incident light having wavelengths in the visible band are transmitted through the visibly transparent substrate and the luminescent dye layer, wherein the luminescent dye layer absorbs at least a portion of the incident light having wavelengths in the near-infrared band or wavelengths in the ultraviolet band, or both, and generates photoluminescent emission with the peak photoluminescent emission wavelength in the near-infrared band, and wherein at least a portion of the photoluminescent emission is absorbed by the photovoltaic device to generate electricity.