A light-guide solar panel (100, 800) operable in conjunction with a solar energy collector, the light-guide solar panel comprising: a light-insertion stage (102, 198, 208, 802, 804) formed in a first slab of optically transmissive material, the light-insertion stage having an input surface for receiving impinging sunlight, a plurality of optical elements (110, 202, 203, 212), and a plurality of exit faces (144, 204, 214), the optical elements being formed between the input surface and the plurality of exit faces, each one of the plurality of optical elements for focusing the sunlight impinging on the optical element towards a corresponding one of the plurality of exit faces and thereby directing the sunlight towards the solar energy collector; an optical waveguide stage (104, 200, 210, 806, 808) formed in a second slab of optically transmissive material, the optical waveguide stage having a first surface (118, 120), a plurality of totally internally reflecting elements opposite the first surface, a plurality of injection faces (146, 206) and an output surface (130, 142, 810, 812), each of the plurality of injection faces located in between adjacent totally internally reflecting elements, the optical waveguide stage being thicker downstream than upstream and each injection face of the optical waveguide stage being optically coupled to one of the exit faces of the light-insertion stage to form a plurality of optical output apertures to receive the sunlight from the light-insertion stage, wherein sunlight is focused and enters the optical waveguide stage through the plurality of optical apertures after a single reflection of the impinging sunlight by the optical elements (110, 202, 203, 212), the optical waveguide stage guiding the sunlight through a series of total internal reflections between the first surface (118, 120) and the plurality of totally internally reflecting elements towards the output surface (130, 142, 810, 812); and a pinch optical element (170, 172, 174, 176, 816, 818) made of an optically transmissive material optically coupled to the optical waveguide stage, secured between the optical waveguide stage and the solar energy collector, for concentrating the sunlight onto the solar energy collector. a light-insertion stage (102, 198, 208, 802, 804) formed in a first slab of optically transmissive material, the light-insertion stage having an input surface for receiving impinging sunlight, a plurality of optical elements (110, 202, 203, 212), and a plurality of exit faces (144, 204, 214), the optical elements being formed between the input surface and the plurality of exit faces, each one of the plurality of optical elements for focusing the sunlight impinging on the optical element towards a corresponding one of the plurality of exit faces and thereby directing the sunlight towards the solar energy collector; an optical waveguide stage (104, 200, 210, 806, 808) formed in a second slab of optically transmissive material, the optical waveguide stage having a first surface (118, 120), a plurality of totally internally reflecting elements opposite the first surface, a plurality of injection faces (146, 206) and an output surface (130, 142, 810, 812), each of the plurality of injection faces located in between adjacent totally internally reflecting elements, the optical waveguide stage being thicker downstream than upstream and each injection face of the optical waveguide stage being optically coupled to one of the exit faces of the light-insertion stage to form a plurality of optical output apertures to receive the sunlight from the light-insertion stage, wherein sunlight is focused and enters the optical waveguide stage through the plurality of optical apertures after a single reflection of the impinging sunlight by the optical elements (110, 202, 203, 212), the optical waveguide stage guiding the sunlight through a series of total internal reflections between the first surface (118, 120) and the plurality of totally internally reflecting elements towards the output surface (130, 142, 810, 812); and a pinch optical element (170, 172, 174, 176, 816, 818) made of an optically transmissive material optically coupled to the optical waveguide stage, secured between the optical waveguide stage and the solar energy collector, for concentrating the sunlight onto the solar energy collector.