Asymmetric Tracking-Integrated Optics for Solar Concentration

A hybrid trough solar power system using concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) conversion in conjunction with a thermal collector, the system comprising:

• a reflective trough having a primary axis and a parabolic curved surface for concentrating light rays received in a plurality of transverse planes into a primary linear focus in an axial plane, orthogonal to the transverse planes;
• a dichroic spectrum splitter having a hyperbolically curved surface, an axis aligned in parallel to the primary linear focus, and a position between the reflective trough and the primary linear focus, the dichroic spectrum splitter transmitting T band wavelengths of light, and reflecting R band wavelengths of light to a secondary linear focus formed parallel to a vertex of the reflective trough in the axial plane;
• a thermal collection tube aligned along the primary linear focus for the T band wavelengths of light;
• a plurality of concentrating optics sections formed in series along the secondary linear focus, each concentrating optics section comprising:
• an optical element focusing the R band wavelengths of light reflected by the dichroic spectrum splitter along a tertiary linear focus, orthogonal to the axial plane;
• and,
• a plurality of PV devices aligned along the tertiary linear focus of each associated optical element, each PV device having an optical interface to receive the focused R band wavelengths of light.