BTW/FWIW I've seen some mention of photovoltaic panels that make use of, essentially, a magnifying lens over each PV 'cell', raising off angle performance well enough to match panels mounted on 'trackers' (mechanisms that keep the panel perpendicular to the sun through the day). I see they also boost performance on cloudy days, which could make them more appropriate for places like the UK.
Did a quick google and found one manufacturer using concentrated PV (CPV) — what this lens-over-cell arrangement is called. I'd expect there are others. Possibly more interestingly, as the cells in this arrangement have to be smaller (consider how refractive lenses work — and that panel surface area stays the same) it opens up the possibility of more efficient PV technologies.
