R. Gottschalg, J. A. del Cueto, T. Betts, S. Williams, D. Infield
{"title":"Investigating the seasonal performance of amorphous silicon single- and multi-junction modules","authors":"R. Gottschalg, J. A. del Cueto, T. Betts, S. Williams, D. Infield","doi":"10.1109/WCPEC.2003.1306358","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/WCPEC.2003.1306358","url":null,"abstract":"The seasonal performance fluctuations observed in amorphous silicon solar cells are investigated. The dominant forces driving the increased efficiency in summer are identified, from long-term measurements, to be thermal annealing and spectral variations. A method for correcting for changes in the incident spectrum is applied in order to correct for the seasonal changes. In a second step, the fill factor is investigated in order to establish the magnitude of thermal annealing seen by these devices. The magnitude of each effect is investigated.","PeriodicalId":108816,"journal":{"name":"3rd World Conference onPhotovoltaic Energy Conversion, 2003. Proceedings of","volume":"52 3-4","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2003-05-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132434619","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Robert P. Kenny, G. Friesen, Domenico Chianese, A. Bernasconi, E. Dunlop
{"title":"Energy rating of PV modules: comparison of methods and approach","authors":"Robert P. Kenny, G. Friesen, Domenico Chianese, A. Bernasconi, E. Dunlop","doi":"10.1109/WCPEC.2003.248764","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/WCPEC.2003.248764","url":null,"abstract":"The Matrix and Performance Surface Methods of Energy Rating are related techniques under development for the determination of electrical yield that is intended to be a more useful predictor of performance for installers than Wp alone. Here a power matrix or performance surface as a function of irradiance and ambient temperature P(Gi; Ta) is linked to a climatic condition occurrence matrix N(Gi, Ta) for a particular location. The use of just two independent variables has the advantage of simplicity but it is important to evaluate the possible cost of reduced accuracy due to the exclusion of other variable parameters such as Air Mass for example. The power matrix may be determined by outdoor or indoor measurements, and the complete matrix may also be extrapolated from a reduced data set using models of cell behaviour thereby reducing measurement time. The present paper relates solely to crystalline Si and reports on the comparison of outdoor measurements at two sites, and their further comparison with indoor measurements.","PeriodicalId":108816,"journal":{"name":"3rd World Conference onPhotovoltaic Energy Conversion, 2003. Proceedings of","volume":"57 4 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2003-05-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133550761","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
T. Betts, C. N. Jardine, R. Gottschalg, D. Infield, K. Lane
{"title":"Impact of spectral effects on the electrical parameters of multijunction amorphous silicon cells","authors":"T. Betts, C. N. Jardine, R. Gottschalg, D. Infield, K. Lane","doi":"10.1109/WCPEC.2003.1306273","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/WCPEC.2003.1306273","url":null,"abstract":"The influence of spectral variation on the efficiency of single-, double- and triple-junction amorphous silicon cells has been investigated. The average photon energy (APE) proves to be a useful device-independent environmental parameter for quantifying the average hue of incident spectra. Single-junction devices increase in efficiency as light becomes blue shifted, because more of the incident spectrum lies within the absorption window and less in the red/infra-red tail; this is denoted the primary spectral effect. Double- and triple-junction devices also exhibit a secondary spectral effect due to mismatch between the device structure and the incident spectrum. These both reach a maximum efficiency, which drops off as light is red or blue shifted. The effect is more pronounced for triple-junction than double-junction devices, as mismatch between junctions is statistically more likely.","PeriodicalId":108816,"journal":{"name":"3rd World Conference onPhotovoltaic Energy Conversion, 2003. Proceedings of","volume":"96 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2003-05-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114266381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J. Hong, W. Kessels, W. Soppe, H. Rieffe, A. Weeber, M. V. D. van de Sanden
{"title":"Structural film characteristics related to the passivation properties of high-rate (>0.5 nm/s) plasma deposited a-SiN/sub x/:H","authors":"J. Hong, W. Kessels, W. Soppe, H. Rieffe, A. Weeber, M. V. D. van de Sanden","doi":"10.1109/WCPEC.2003.1306121","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/WCPEC.2003.1306121","url":null,"abstract":"This paper addresses the effects of a short high-temperature step, corresponding to the firing of the metallization on Si solar cells, on the structural and optical properties of high-rate (>0.5 nm/s) plasma deposited a-SiN/sub x/:H films. Three different types of a-SiN/sub x/:H films were prepared using (i) a N/sub 2/-SiH/sub 4/ expanding thermal plasma, (ii) a NH/sub 3/-SiH/sub 4/ expanding thermal plasma, and (iii) a NH/sub 3/-SiH/sub 4/ microwave plasma. The changes in structural and optical properties of the films have been investigated before and after the high temperature step by means of elastic recoil detection, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The high temperature step induces significant changes in hydrogen content, mass density, and optical properties of the films and these thermally induced effects are more enhanced for Si-rich films than for N-rich films. It is found that a high density and thermal stability of the as-deposited films are crucial for obtaining good bulk passivation properties.","PeriodicalId":108816,"journal":{"name":"3rd World Conference onPhotovoltaic Energy Conversion, 2003. Proceedings of","volume":"72 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2003-05-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121751034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Modelling of polycrystalline thin film solar cells: new features in SCAPS version 2.3","authors":"S. Degrave, M. Burgelman, P. Nollet","doi":"10.1109/WCPEC.2003.1305327","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/WCPEC.2003.1305327","url":null,"abstract":"Modern characterisation of thin film solar cells is based on a variety of standard and advanced (opto-) electrical experiments. In the case of complicated structures, like most of the polycrystalline thin film solar cells, interpretation of such experiments is almost impossible without the help of simulation programs. In many cases numerical simulation of a thin film solar cell can lead to better insight into the details of physical operation. It can even give new insights to improve the technology. The numerical simulation tool SCAPS is developed at our lab to deal with polycrystalline thin film solar cells. The program is able to simulate standard experiments like I(V) and QE(/spl lambda/) as well as more advanced measurements like C(V) and C(f). The program is now in a state of extension to transient analysis; it will be able to simulate current and capacitance in function of time. Different methods to solve the time dependent problem and first results and observations of transient behaviour are treated in this article.","PeriodicalId":108816,"journal":{"name":"3rd World Conference onPhotovoltaic Energy Conversion, 2003. Proceedings of","volume":"132 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2003-05-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121293013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Flatband solar cells: a model for solid-state nano-structured solar cells","authors":"M. Burgelman, C. Grasso","doi":"10.1109/WCPEC.2003.1305267","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/WCPEC.2003.1305267","url":null,"abstract":"Nano-structured solar cells are too complex for standard modeling. Here, we decouple the effects at a nm-scale from those at a /spl mu/m-scale. The 3D nano-porous geometry is simplified to a quasi-periodical nm-scale ordering of \"unit cells\" (a TiO/sub 2/ sphere and its p- semiconductor or dye/p-conductor shell). It is shown that, due to the periodical boundary conditions, such a unit cell is essentially field free; it is called here a \"flatband cell'\". The band-diagram, including possible discontinuities, the Fermi levels, carrier density and recombination (interface and bulk) of these flatband cells is given accurately by a back-of-the-envelope calculation, as confirmed by numerical simulation. The unit cells are connected in a 1-D electrical network, which also accounts for the transport effects in the porous TiO/sub 2/ network and for the contact effects at the electrodes. Results for solid-state nano-structured cells are presented.","PeriodicalId":108816,"journal":{"name":"3rd World Conference onPhotovoltaic Energy Conversion, 2003. Proceedings of","volume":"14 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2003-05-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134202258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The importance of sensors in the determination of BIPV parameters and installation energy yield","authors":"A. Bahaj, R. Braid, P. James","doi":"10.1109/WCPEC.2003.1306350","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/WCPEC.2003.1306350","url":null,"abstract":"Sensor reliability is important in building integrated photovoltaic installations to convey confidence in the correct operation of the installation and to quantify the yield of the PV system. This paper relates the experience gained from a PV facade installed at Southampton University, which was found to have irradiance sensors (reference cells), producing conflicting data. Specifically, when comparing the output of the various irradiance sensors it is apparent that performance ratio analysis of the PV system produces widely differing results. This paper discusses the critical impact of sensor accuracy on array power output and performance ratios. It serves to highlight that even small errors in irradiance measurement can determine whether or not a PV system is perceived as being 'good' based on its performance ratio.","PeriodicalId":108816,"journal":{"name":"3rd World Conference onPhotovoltaic Energy Conversion, 2003. Proceedings of","volume":"53 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2003-05-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131275480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Quantitative analysis of the influence of shunts in solar cells by means of lock-in thermography","authors":"J. Rakotoniaina, M. Al Rifai, O. Breitenstein","doi":"10.21611/QIRT.2004.004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21611/QIRT.2004.004","url":null,"abstract":"Infrared lock-in thermography not only allows one to image shunts very sensitively in all kinds of solar cells, but also to measure dark currents flowing in certain regions of the cell quantitatively. After dealing with the physical basics of quantitative lock-in thermography, three types of measurements are described: 1. the quantitative measurement of the I-V characteristic of a point shunt, 2. the evaluation of the influence of shunts on the efficiency of a cell as a function of the illumination intensity, and 3. the mapping of the ideality factor n and the saturation current density J/sub 0/ over the whole cell. The investigation of a typical multicrystalline solar cell shows that the shunts are deteriorating predominantly the low light level performance of the cell, and that crystal defect related variations of the injection current density are predominantly caused by a variation of J/sub 0/ rather than of n.","PeriodicalId":108816,"journal":{"name":"3rd World Conference onPhotovoltaic Energy Conversion, 2003. Proceedings of","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2003-05-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134216712","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jenny Nelson, S. Choulis, Donal D. C. Bradley, R. Durrant
{"title":"Charge recombination in polymer/fullerene photovoltaic devices","authors":"Jenny Nelson, S. Choulis, Donal D. C. Bradley, R. Durrant","doi":"10.1016/J.TSF.2003.11.064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/J.TSF.2003.11.064","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":108816,"journal":{"name":"3rd World Conference onPhotovoltaic Energy Conversion, 2003. Proceedings of","volume":"7 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2003-05-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126391238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Auburn University Solar Decathlon House","authors":"H. Brandhorst","doi":"10.2514/6.2003-6114","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2003-6114","url":null,"abstract":"The U.S. Department of Energy has sponsored the world's first student design contest to build houses powered only by the sun and that competed in ten contests. These houses were located on the National Mall in Washington, DC from September 19 through October 9, 2002. This paper describes the architectural and power system approach taken by Auburn University and the contest results. The roof size was limited to 800 ft/sup 2/, thus area for both thermal and electrical power was limited. Energy efficient appliances were used to minimize energy usage in the contest.","PeriodicalId":108816,"journal":{"name":"3rd World Conference onPhotovoltaic Energy Conversion, 2003. Proceedings of","volume":"33 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2003-05-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121622092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}