Environmental Effects on the Performance of Nanocrystalline Silicon Solar Cells

Abstract

In this paper the global, direct and diffuse solar radiation incident on solar cells is simulated using the spectral model SMARTS2, for varying environmental conditions on the site of Setif. The effect of changes in total intensity and spectral distribution on the short circuit current and efficiency of nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si: H) is examined. The results show a reduction in the short circuit current due to increasing turbidity. It is 27.06% and 67.97% under global and direct radiation respectively. However it increases under diffuse radiation. This increase is about 53.97%. Increasing albedo leads to an increase in the short circuit current of 5.70% and 27.05% for global and diffuse solar radiation, respectively and it is not influenced under direct solar radiation. The performance of the cells is notably reduced, both in terms of efficiency and open circuit voltage, with increasing air mass. It is about 81.86%, 37.47% and 94.18% for global, diffuse and direct solar radiation respectively.