{"title":"Performance and reliability of a 15 kWp amorphous silicon photovoltaic system","authors":"G.H. Atmaran, B. Marion, C. Herig","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.1990.111737","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.1990.111737","url":null,"abstract":"Florida Power Corporation, in cooperation with the Florida Solar Energy Center, has installed a 15 kWp grid-connected photovoltaic system at one of its substations near Orlando, FL. The system utilizes thin-film amorphous silicon modules and was installed in August 1988. The system's performance has been monitored for 20 months of operation, and periodic diagnostic tests to evaluate subsystem reliability have been conducted. During the 20-month period, the power output of the photovoltaic array has degraded by about 25% of its original value and the array peak power efficiency was 4.0% in April 1990. Relatively high leakage currents of the photovoltaic array, particularly under wet conditions, have been detected. A significant corrosion build-up on 23 out of a total of 640 photovoltaic modules has also been observed in the 20-month period.<<ETX>>","PeriodicalId":211778,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Conference on Photovoltaic Specialists","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1990-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128104551","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}
L. Boman, A. Bubenzer, J. Meot, J. Schmitt, J. Siéfert
{"title":"Large area deposition of a-Si PV modules","authors":"L. Boman, A. Bubenzer, J. Meot, J. Schmitt, J. Siéfert","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.1990.111893","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.1990.111893","url":null,"abstract":"Large-area deposition scaling-up (from 30*30 to 50*60 and 60*100 m/sup 2/) is reported within the context of PV (photovoltaic) industrial development. Production-oriented deposition machine specifications are described, and the various technical solutions are discussed. The selected solutions such as plasma box and plasma etching were investigated in full-scale experiments, and illustrative results are presented. An NF/sub 3/ etching process was developed and optimized in order to match the maintenance requirements of the production machines. Thanks to this cleaning process, a very low point defect density is demonstrated (>1/ft/sup 2/). The thickness uniformity is shown to be better than +or-5%. Material quality is also uniform, which is demonstrated by a mapping of the microcrystalline transition. The plasma box concept is shown to reach very low impurity contamination levels in a classical vacuum machine, comparable to what is obtained in ultrahigh-vacuum technology.<<ETX>>","PeriodicalId":211778,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Conference on Photovoltaic Specialists","volume":"114 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1990-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125252054","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":"Carrisa Plains PV power plant performance","authors":"H. Wenger, C. Jennings, J. Iannucci","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.1990.111740","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.1990.111740","url":null,"abstract":"The authors summarize the performance of the world's largest PV (photovoltaic) power plant (the one at Carrisa Plains, California) for 1984-1989. Although the plant has high availability, energy production efficiency has declined at the rate of 8-12% per year since 1986. Based on the data, it is difficult to provide a thorough explanation for the steady decline in Carrisa Plains PV performance. The core problem has largely been attributed to the thermal oxidation of ethylene vinyl acetate PV cell encapsulant caused by elevated temperatures of the mirrored segments. The PV modules, originally dark blue in color, are now brown. A number of possibilities exist which may contribute to the plant's decline in power output, such as mismatching, leakage currents, inappropriate inverter operating point, and changes in maintenance. Performance results of the mirrored and nonmirrored segments are presented These results indicate that the nonmirrored segment is performing well with minimal efficiency degradation and low operation and maintenance costs.<<ETX>>","PeriodicalId":211778,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Conference on Photovoltaic Specialists","volume":"16 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1990-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125771067","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":"Silane glow discharge based double antireflection coatings for cr-Si solar cells","authors":"G. Willeke, E. Demesmaeker, J. Nijs, R. Mertens","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.1990.111630","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.1990.111630","url":null,"abstract":"Double-layer antireflection coatings composed of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide and oxide have been prepared by silane glow discharge. Superior optical properties are observed on cr-Si as compared to single-layer plasma nitride coatings. When applied to cr-Si solar cell structure a relative increase in both short circuit current and efficiency of 2.8% was observed.<<ETX>>","PeriodicalId":211778,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Conference on Photovoltaic Specialists","volume":"84 7","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1990-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134160968","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":"Solar photovoltaic power: a US electric utility R & D perspective","authors":"E. DeMeo, F. Goodman, T. Peterson, J. Schaefer","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.1990.111584","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.1990.111584","url":null,"abstract":"The overall status of photovoltaic (PV) power is examined, and conclusions are drawn regarding key challenges and future needs for its commercial success in the utility bulk power arena. The basis for believing that PV's key challenge is to continue serving ever-expanding niche markets driven by continuing system cost reductions, while sustaining focused R&D to achieve the cost/performance needed to break into worldwide energy-significant power markets is discussed. The authors believe this will occur most readily through cooperative alliances of suppliers, users, researchers, and through national programs whose common goal is to thrust PV technology into the bulk power mix.<<ETX>>","PeriodicalId":211778,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Conference on Photovoltaic Specialists","volume":"65 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1990-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131769487","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}
P. Verlinden, B. Lafontaine, P. Jacquemin, E. Goutain, A. Crahay
{"title":"Super self-aligned technology for backside contact solar cells. A route to low cost and high efficiency","authors":"P. Verlinden, B. Lafontaine, P. Jacquemin, E. Goutain, A. Crahay","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.1990.111627","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.1990.111627","url":null,"abstract":"A new technology is proposed for backside contact (BSC) silicon solar cells. This technology is self-aligned since only one photolithography step, without alignment, is required instead of the four to six steps required in previous technologies. Compared to a recently reported self-aligned process for BSC cells, this one eliminates the problem of compensated regions and has the advantages of a reduction of the emitter area, a passivation of silicon surface with thermal oxide between metal fingers, and a reduction in the metal-silicon contact area. As a consequence, this self-aligned technology offers great potential for the fabrication of high-efficiency solar cells at a low cost.<<ETX>>","PeriodicalId":211778,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Conference on Photovoltaic Specialists","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1990-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129401103","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}
P. Michiels, L. Verhoef, J. Stroom, W. Sinke, R.J.C. van Zolingen, C. Denisse, M. Hendriks
{"title":"Hydrogen passivation of polycrystalline silicon solar cells by plasma deposition of silicon nitride","authors":"P. Michiels, L. Verhoef, J. Stroom, W. Sinke, R.J.C. van Zolingen, C. Denisse, M. Hendriks","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.1990.111698","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.1990.111698","url":null,"abstract":"Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) is used for the deposition of a silicon nitride antireflection coating (ARC) onto 10*10 cm/sup 2/ Wacker Silso polycrystalline silicon solar cells. It is found that the short-circuit current I/sub sc/ is improved by 7 to 10% in comparison to reference cells with a standard screenprinted Ta/sub 2/O/sub 5/ coating. Part of the increase in I/sub sc/ is because of a smaller reflectivity of the silicon nitride ARC. The other part of the improvement comes from all enhanced average minority-carrier diffusion length (L/sub min/). The increase in L/sub min/ results from hydrogen passivation and is attributed to the generation of hydrogen ions during PECVD of Si/sub 3/N/sub 4/. It is shown that the passivation effect from PECVD of Si/sub 3/N/sub 4/ is comparable to that obtained with a 1/2 h hydrogen plasma treatment and that it is stable during a 1 h anneal at 700 degrees C. A significant influence of the substrate temperature during Si/sub 3/N/sub 4/ deposition in the range of 350 to 450 degrees C was not observed.<<ETX>>","PeriodicalId":211778,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Conference on Photovoltaic Specialists","volume":"16 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1990-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133379268","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}
F. Willing, S. Wiedeman, J. Newton, J. O'dowd, K. Jansen
{"title":"Power optimization for a-Si solar modules","authors":"F. Willing, S. Wiedeman, J. Newton, J. O'dowd, K. Jansen","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.1990.111846","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.1990.111846","url":null,"abstract":"Large-area a-Si modules suffer from power losses not present with small-area laboratory cells. Resistive, shunt, active-area, and uniformity losses can be measured on a finished module. Experimental data are presented to illustrate the dependence of resistive, shunt, and absorption losses on the thickness and sheet resistance of the conductive transparent oxide (CTO) front contact. Reflection and absorption losses at the front of the module were estimated using an optical model. It is noted that shunt losses, uniformity losses, and resistive losses in the busbars and interconnects are avoidable and are usually low for good modules. The sum of resistive loss in the CTO, absorption loss in the CTO, and active-area loss at the interconnect can be minimized by optimizing CTO thickness and segment width. A recent 1000 cm/sup 2/ Solarex production prototype module had about 20% loss relative to a comparable small-area cell. Relative losses of about 10% should be achieved in the near future.<<ETX>>","PeriodicalId":211778,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Conference on Photovoltaic Specialists","volume":"319 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1990-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133400911","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":"Ionized cluster beam deposition of GaAs thin films for solar cells","authors":"D. Bonnet, S. Oelting","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.1990.111677","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.1990.111677","url":null,"abstract":"Polycrystalline GaAs films have been deposited by means of an ion-assisted deposition process at a technical vacuum of 10/sup -7/ torr at the lowest possible substrate temperatures. Epitaxial GaAs layers have been produced by use of a commercial ionized-cluster-beam evaporation source as well as a modified electron-beam evaporator. Promising results concerning the electronic properties have been obtained. Net doping is on the order of 10/sup 13//cm/sup 3/, and mobility-values correspond to literature values at room temperature. The films are natively p-doped. N-doping by coevaporation of Sn has been achieved. At substrate temperatures as low as 300 degrees C, monocrystalline growth of GaAs layers has been observed. Schottky and MIS diodes using ZnSe-I layers have been produced on n-doped epilayers using semitransparent Au-films. Photosensitivities comparable to bulk material have been obtained in spite of a still significant density of defect states. First depositions onto Mo-coated 7095 glass substrates have also been achieved, resulting in highly 111-oriented polycrystalline films.<<ETX>>","PeriodicalId":211778,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Conference on Photovoltaic Specialists","volume":"106 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1990-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133156842","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":"Advanced X-ray analysis of polycrystalline CuInSe/sub 2/ thin films","authors":"H. Dittrich, R. Menner, H. Schock","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.1990.111728","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.1990.111728","url":null,"abstract":"Advanced X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis of polycrystalline semiconductor thin-films such as CuInSe/sub 2/ is able to give detailed information of the thin-film structure. A","PeriodicalId":211778,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Conference on Photovoltaic Specialists","volume":"18 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1990-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115083306","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}