3D PV

R&D Mag
Building cubes or towers that extend the solar cells upward in 3D configurations. Amazingly, the results from the structures they've tested show power output ranging from double to more than 20 times that of fixed flat panels with the same base area. The biggest boosts in power were seen in the situations where improvements are most needed: in locations far from the equator, in winter months and on cloudier days. The new findings, based on both computer modeling and outdoor testing of real modules, have been published in Energy and Environmental Science. (...) "Even 10 years ago, this idea wouldn't have been economically justified because the modules cost so much," Grossman says. But now, he adds, "the cost for silicon cells is a fraction of the total cost, a trend that will continue downward in the near future." Currently, up to 65% of the cost of photovoltaic (PV) energy is associated with installation, permission for use of land, and other components besides the cells themselves.
Check the original paper for details.