Solar energy can be harvested via either thermal or photovoltaic methods to generate electricity. The thermal solution is not applicable to the majority of the industrialized countries due to climate restrictions. Photovoltaic (PV) solutions are better suited for colder climates, than thermal solutions, as they only require sun light. Also, PV efficiency is actually enhanced under cooler temperatures. Cost has been the biggest stumbling block in making PV use widespread. Moreover, existing PV cell panel technologies offer very low efficiencies of between 5 to 15%, only fuelling the debate that solar technologies require massive areas of land to become a major contributor of power to the grid.

New ultra-efficient PV cells are being developed using High Concentrated Photovoltaic (HCPV) cell technology. Efficiencies of over 40% have been reached and further increases in efficiency (up to 50%) over the coming years are foreseen, making solar power comparable in cost to current grid-supplied electricity. Under a 500-sun concentration. The use of concentration, therefore enables the replacement of the more expensive semiconductor area with cheaper materials. The savings in the semiconductor area and the higher output due to the use of the higher cell efficiency make the use of High-Concentration Photovoltaic (HCPV) modules with Multi-Junction cells more economical.

Quadra Solar has developed iPYRAMID™, a Concentrated Solar Photovoltaic System, which utilizes HCPV Multi-Junction cells to deliver the following benefits:

• The highest solar efficiency system on the market.
• Lowest cost per solar watt coupled with low maintenance and long life.
• Unprecedented in solar history triple-axis solar tracking system offering the widest tracking range (180 degrees) in the industry.
• Compact and therefore efficient use of land in the industry.
• A practical solar system to deploy in large scale deployments
• Environmental solar solution with little to no impact on the land
• Safer than using parabolic dish reflectors or lenses, which have been known to start grass fires when accidentally pointed in the wrong direction