Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) Performance Analysis Based on Series Circuit

Abstract

Solar power system is one of the renewable sources that will be used to produce electricity because of its characteristics such as consumed free source of sun light, less maintenance needed for the system and free of charge for usage electricity. One of the main disadvantages is the initial cost of the equipment used to harness the suns energy especially the cost of solar panel. In Malaysia, the cost of solar panel are relatively high because the solar panel are imported from overseas and the materials used in existing solar panel is very expensive. Therefore the proposed solar cells that will be used is natural dye sensitized with photovoltaic material. The scope of this research is to full fill the demand of low cost and to abundance, renewable material that could be used for energy conversion solar cell. The circuit connections of solar cells are in series and the performance of the dye sensitized cells would be based on the intensity of the sunlight illumination. The measurement of solar cell are conducted using 10 dye sensitizied cells connected in series circuit arrangement and the performance for this design are evaluated based on the generated potential (V) upon sunlight illumination at noon and evening for certain period of time. The result obtained from this research shows that the performance of series circuit connection of the dye sensitized solar cell is comparable with the silicon solar cell.