Efficiency Of Photovoltaic Modules Research Articles

A Novel Topology to Improve PV Module Efficiency under Partial Shading Conditions

In this paper, we investigate the power degradation in a novel photovoltaic (PV) cell reconfiguration named KenDoKu (KDK) topology under different shading patterns. We analyze how a modification in the linkage between the PV cells within a shaded PV module can affect its effectiveness. The proposed approach relocates the physical position of the PV cells within the PV module without any change in electrical connections and redistributes the shading effects over the PV module for the improvement of the power generation. To achieve this purpose, modeling and simulation are performed for a set of various shading patterns such as homogeneous, sectional, and scattered shadings. The simulation model used is a combination of two-diode model and Bishop’s model. This model is applied to a PV module and is implemented in LTSpice software to quantify the impact of shading on P-V characteristics. The performance of the KDK topology is compared to other optimized configurations such as total-cross-tied (TCT), bridge link-total cross tied (BL-TCT), honey comb-bridge link (HC-BL), series parallel-total cross tied (SP-TCT) and existing odd-even (OE) and Latin square (LS) schemes of interconnection. The effectiveness of the KDK approach is evaluated in terms of the characteristics of P-V curves, global maximum power (GMP), mismatch power loss MPL (%), fill factor FF (%), and performance ratio PR (%). The simulated results revealed that the KDK configuration scheme performs better in terms of generating maximum power under the considered partial shading conditions. The proposed approach reduces the maximum power losses (MPL) and improves the fill factor (FF) with respect to OE and LS configurations in the most of the cases. Moreover, experimental verification is also carried out. The obtained results show that the KDK configuration outperforms the other analyzed PV cell rearrangement in terms of increased power.

A new method for assessing photovoltaic module cooler based on lifespan effectiveness factor

Many coolers are available to improve the photovoltaic module (PV) efficiency. Although the lifespan of the PV cooler is an important parameter that should be taken into account to justify manufacturing such products, there is no evidence found in the literature considering this parameter in the PV cooler performance evaluation, making the comparison between the different types of PV coolers becomes difficult. Hence, this short communication is intended to correlate the lifespan of PV with its cooler. It proposes a new technique by introducing a new terminology called the PV cooler lifespan effectiveness factor whose value is depending on the lifespan of both PV and the cooling technique being utilized. This factor is defined as the ratio of the lifespan of the PV cooler to the lifespan of the PV. From results of the current study, it is shown that there is a proportional relationship between the lifespan of the PV cooler and the new factor. On the other hand, there is an inverse proportional correlation between the PV lifespan and the new factor. The values of the new factor are classified. The PV cooler is considered to be a lifespan effective, if the lifespan effectiveness factor is greater than zero and lesser than or equals to unity. Because the lifespan of the material depends on weather conditions which are different from one place to another. Hence, the value of the PV cooler lifespan effectiveness factor will be different. This could be a limitation of the proposed method. It is concluded that the new technique is helpful in categorizing the performance of PV cooler in terms of lifespan effectiveness which may have a potential to be utilized by PV cooler researcher, designer and/or manufacturer.

Progressive cooling techniques for photovoltaic module efficiency and reliability: Comparative evaluation and optimization

The temperature of photovoltaic modules during operation is one of the most critical criteria for determining both efficiency and reliability. Alternative PV module cooling techniques have been offered as a means of lowering module temperature, lowering deterioration rates, and enhancing efficiency. In this work, progressive cooling methods including water jacket, phase change material (PCM), and heatsink are thoroughly analyzed using the finite element model. In addition, considerable improvements in the PV module efficiency and reliability are accomplished by introducing new designs for the water jacket. The results show that a water jacket with an aluminum container design performs best when the mass flow rate is 8 kg/min, resulting in a 6.8% power gain, whereas a water jacket with an aluminum pipe design performs best when the pipe diameter is 2.5 cm and the mass flow rate is 2 kg/min, resulting in a 5.2% power gain. In natural convection conditions, the PCM paraffin wax RT-42 and water jacket implementations can reach a 10 °C and 12 °C drop, respectively, whilst the heatsink can only achieve a 4 °C drop. An empirical model is also used to predict and quantify the impact of each cooling method on the durability of PV modules. Water jackets, PCM, and heatsinks all increase solder fatigue life by 154, 103, and 27%, respectively. The module lifetime owing to hydrolysis mitigation is increased by 68, 56, and 18%, respectively, with water jackets, PCM, and heatsink, while the module lifetime due to photodegradation mitigation is increased by 37, 31, and 11%, respectively.

An approach toward higher electrical conversion efficiency of solar photovoltaic module using phase change materials

AbstractA well‐known fact is that the electrical performance of the solar photovoltaic (PV) module reduces with an increase of its operating surface temperature, hence to obtain better electrical performance from PV module; it becomes necessary to maintain its surface temperature within the recommended limit. The present experimentation is focused on the application of phase change materials (PCM) to improve the electrical conversion efficiency of the PV module. The performance analysis of the polycrystalline silicon PV module integrated with the finned heat sink embedded in the PCM bath has been carried out, particularly for Indian climatic conditions (21°N, 79°E). Four different organic PCM‐filled PV modules (PV‐PCM) have been selected for performance comparison with conventional PV modules toward their electrical conversion efficiency. All the PV modules are tested with different tilt angles to obtain the lowest operating temperature afterwards the PV‐PCM module with the lowest temperature at particular tilt angle was compared with conventional PV module for output power. Among all investigated PV modules, calcium chloride hexahydrate‐filled PV system exhibits the highest electrical performance at an angle of 90° with the horizontal. The relative and improved average electrical efficiency of 7.5% was recorded with the novel designed PV‐PCM system.

The Influence of Temperature and Irradiance on Performance of the photovoltaic panel in the Middle of Iraq

The photovoltaic (PV) panels are expected to be the most important systems to meet global energy demand by converting solar energy into electricity. The main obstacle to the widespread deployment of the PV systems its the limited efficiency, which are greatly affected by the solar radiation and the operating temperature. The full knowledge of the performance, efficiency and output power of photovoltaic modules and the extent of their change with the fluctuations of solar radiation and temperature is necessary to determine the optimal size of the system and avoid the financial risks of the project. This paper investigated numaricaly and experimentaly the influence of operating temperature and solar radiation on the output power and efficiency of polycrystalline PV panels in Baghdad-Iraq. The PVsyst software was used to simulate a model implementing simulation results presented the impact of variations temperature and solar radiation in the curves of I-V, P-V and efficiency. In order to verify the reliability of the simulated results with experimental ones, several measuring devices have been used to conduct field experiments in the outdoor conditions. It were used to determine the characteristics and performance of a 120W polycrystalline PV panel for different ranges of solar radiation and operating temperature. The simulation results showed that the current, voltage, output power and efficiency increased with increasing solar radiation, while they decreased with increasing temperature except the current that was increased. The experimental and simulated results were identical in terms of the effect of temperature and solar radiation on the current, voltage, output power and efficiency of the PV panel. The experimental tests showed that when the temperature is increased by 1°C, the current was increased by about 0.068%, the voltage decreased by 0.34%, the output power decreased by 0.489% and the efficiency decreased about 0.586%. The experimental results displayed that the parameters of the PV panel under real operating conditions behave differently than in the standard test conditions (STC), as they are strongly affected by weather fluctuations in terms of temperature and solar radiation

Dirt on photovoltaic modules and efficient energy generation in the Brazilian semiarid

ABSTRACT A photovoltaic electrical energy system is one of the least aggressive ways to affect the environment. Factors such as dirt influence the efficiency of these systems and can have a considerable impact in low rainfall regions, such as the Brazilian semiarid. In this respect, the aim of the present study was to analyze the effect of dirt on the efficiency of electricity generation in photovoltaic modules installed in the Brazilian semiarid. To that end, the output power of a periodically cleaned module was compared with a naturally dirty module; in addition, the percentage output power, dirt deposition density and relationship between these variables were estimated. The study was carried out at the University of Pernambuco, in the city of Petrolina, PE, Brazil, during dry and rainy periods. Data were collected via a data acquisition system and dirt using glass slides. The results indicate that more than 15 days without rain significantly reduces the efficiency of photovoltaic modules installed in semiarid areas, reaching an 18.72% decrease in output power after 70 days.

A Note on Limits and Trends in PV Cells and Modules

The key components of photovoltaic (PV) systems are PV modules representing basic devices, which are able to operate in outdoor conditions for a long time. PV modules can be manufactured from different materials using different production technologies. The main criterion supporting or limiting the successful placement of specific technologies on the market is the price of electricity produced by PV systems. The levelized cost of energy (LCOE) method considers investment costs, operating costs, and the total energy produced during a PV system’s service life. The influence of price, efficiency, and service life of PV modules on the LCOE (together with the availability of materials) sets limits for applicable technologies. Increasing the efficiency of the modules from 21% to 23% could lead to a reduction of the area-dependent part of the PV system costs by 8.7%. Extending the service life from 25 to 30 years could reduce the LCOE by about 10%. As shown in the work, wafer-based crystalline silicon technologies best meet these criteria due to their high efficiency, low costs, long service life, and the availability of materials at present. Technological innovations make it possible to increase the efficiency of the modules closer to the physical limits and to extend the service life of the modules.

Implicit Equation for Photovoltaic Module Temperature and Efficiency via Heat Transfer Computational Model

This paper evaluates the photovoltaic (PV) module operating temperature’s relation to efficiency via a numerical heat transfer model. The literature reports that higher PV module operating temperatures impact PV module efficiency. There are dozens of explicit and implicit equations used to determine the PV module operating temperature. However, they are not universal, and for each application, it is necessary to insert a correction coefficient based on the environment and boundary conditions. Using a numerical method covering a more comprehensive range of PV module operation conditions to estimate a global equation, this study considers the solar radiation flux, Gt, solar ray direction with respect to the ground level, γ, convective heat transfer coefficient, h, tilt angle, β, ambient temperature, Ta, PV power output, Ppv, PV panel efficiency, η, and environmental properties. The results match the extant empirical work and related literature. PV module efficiency is found to have a linear relationship to the PV module operating temperature via a numerical heat transfer model corresponding to the well-known PV module. It specifies that heat transfer convection changes with PV module tilt angle, causing PV module operating temperature effects. It also represents the PV module operating temperature variations with ambient temperature and solar flux, like those reported in the literature.

Energy Efficiency of Multi-Technology PV Modules under Real Outdoor Conditions—An Experimental Assessment in Ghardaïa, Algeria

Energy efficiency and ratio performance are two key parameters for the analysis of the performance of photovoltaic (PV) modules. The present paper focusses on the assessment of the efficiency of four different photovoltaic module technologies based on energy efficiency and ratio performance. These PV modules were installed at the Applied Research Unit in Renewable Energy (URAER) in Algeria and were used to provide experimental data to help local and international economical actors with performance enhancement and optimal choice of different technologies subject to arid outdoor conditions. The modules studied in this paper are: two thin-film modules of copper indium selenide (CIS), hetero-junction with intrinsic thin-layer silicon (HIT) and two crystalline silicon modules (polycrystalline (poly-Si), monocrystalline (mono-Si)). These technologies were initially characterized using a DC regulator based on their measured I-V characteristics under the same outdoor climate conditions as the location where the monitoring of the electrical energy produced from each PV module was carried out. The DC regulator allows for extracting the maximum electrical power. At the same time, the measurements of the solar radiation and temperature were obtained from a pyranometer type Kipp & ZonenTM CMP21 and a Pt-100 temperature sensor (Kipp & Zonen, Delft, Netherlands). These measurements were performed from July 2020 to June 2021. In this work, the monthly average performance parameters such as energy efficiency are given and analyzed. The average efficiency of the modules over 12 months was evaluated at 4.74%, 7.65%, 9.13% and 10.27% for the HIT, CIS, mono-Si and poly-Si modules, respectively. The calculated percentage deviations in the efficiency of the modules were 8.49%, 18.88%, 19.74% and 23.57% for the HIT, CIS, mono-Si and poly-Si modules, respectively. The low variation in the efficiency of the HIT module can be attributed to the better operation of this module under arid outdoor conditions, which makes it a promising module for adaptation to the region concerned.

Thermal management of photovoltaic panel with nano-enhanced phase change material at different inclinations.

Photovoltaic (PV) panel, coupled with phase change material (PCM), has attracted broad attention for the panel's thermal management. Despite the higher energy storage capability of PCMs, the main disadvantage is their low thermal conductivity which is compensated to an extent with the nano-enhanced PCMs (NEPCMs). In this study, numerical simulations are carried out to compare the heat transfer phenomena and thermal response of PV-NEPCM with simple PV-PCM for various tilt angles. CuO nanoparticles with mass concentrations of 1%, 3% and 5% are selected for NEPCM. The thermal performance of PV-NEPCM at inclinations of 0°, 15°, 30° and 45 [Formula: see text] is compared with a simple PV-PCM system to know the effect of mass concentration of nanoparticles and inclination. The average temperature of PV, liquid fraction and thermal energy stored in PCM, the pattern of isotherms and streamlines and performance of PV are compared for PV-PCM and PV-NEPCM systems. Results show that the loading of nanoparticles increases the heat transfer rate to PCM in all the configurations. It has also been shown that at lower inclinations, the use of NEPCM is more effective due to the presence of conduction heat transfer. At higher tilt angles, heat transfer from the PV module takes place by natural convection. By using NEPCM, the maximum decrease in PV temperature of 1.26 [Formula: see text] and maximum improvement in the liquid fraction of 8.25% are achieved when [Formula: see text] with 5% mass concentration of nanoparticles compared to simple PCM. Enhancement of thermal energy stored in PCM increases upon adding nanoparticles, and the highest improvement is obtained for [Formula: see text] Maximum enhancement of efficiency of PV module is found to be 1.75% for [Formula: see text] inclination on adding nanoparticles of 5% mass concentration.

Reduction of carbon footprint of electric vehicles by using battery alternatives and integrated photovoltaics

Electric Vehicles (EVs) were developed to reduce the carbon footprint generated by conventional fuel-based vehicles and provide a cheaper mode of transportation. Various factors have facilitated the switch from conventional fuel-based vehicles to EVs, such as electricity currently being cheaper than conventional fuels, lower cost of maintenance, the government provided subsidies and better safety since they have a lower centre of gravity. A significant component of EVs is the battery. The market leader of the same is Li-ion batteries in view of their excellent advantages in terms of longevity, low maintenance cost, and high power to weight ratio. However, Li-ion batteries have a higher initial cost due to the raw materials used in the production, high carbon footprint generated due to mining of raw materials required, a limited range of operating conditions that need to be maintained and humanitarian concerns associated with Cobalt mining. Due to these factors, there is a need to come up with alternatives for Li-ion batteries. In this work, a comprehensive energy and cost analysis is carried out on integrating the emerging photovoltaic (PV) technologies with state-of-the-art battery alternatives in EVs, thus targeting lower carbon footprint levels. On the same lines, the analysis takes into consideration numerous external factors such as location, climate, and photovoltaic efficiency of various PV modules. Our results indicate that third-generation photovoltaics holds tremendous economic potential and provide a good return on their investment to consumers around the globe.

Highly luminescent mixed-ligand bimetallic lanthanoid(III) complexes for photovoltaic applications.

Six new mixed-ligand bimetallic complexes [Eu2(bz)4(tta)2(phen)2] (1), [Gd2(bz)4(tta)2(phen)2] (2), [EuTb(bz)4(tta)2(phen)2] (3), [EuGd(bz)4(tta)2(phen)2] (4), [Eu1,2Gd0,8(bz)4(tta)2(phen)2] (5) and [Eu1,6Gd0,4(bz)4(tta)2(phen)2] (6) have been prepared with the Eu3+, Gd3+ and Tb3+ ions and the benzoate (bz-), 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetonate (tta-) and the 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) ligands. The compounds combine highly efficient antennas to obtain highly luminescent complexes to enhance solar cell efficiency. The benzoate ligand has been chosen to take its advantage as a bridging ligand to end up with bimetallic complexes to study the effect of combining two metal ions in the luminescent molecule. The structure of 1 was obtained by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and 1-6 were found to be isostructural by powder X-ray diffraction analysis. The photophysical properties were studied by the absorbance and emission spectra and emission lifetimes. The magnetic properties of 2 were studied, and we found intramolecular antiferromagnetic interactions between the Gd3+ ions. We prepared luminescent down-shifting layers (LDSL) with the 1, 3-6 complexes embedded in ethylene-vinyl-acetate and studied their effect in the external quantum efficiency (EQE) and intensity-voltage (I-V) plots of a solar mini-module. We found that LDSL containing the bimetallic complexes 3 and 6 enhance the efficiency of the solar mini-module from 11.26(3)% to 11.76(4)% (+0.52%) and to 11.44(2)% (+0.21%), respectively.

Optimization of PV modules layout on high-rise building skins using a BIM-based generative design approach

Global economic growth is leading to a higher demand for energy. Considering the declining cost of technology and rising fossil fuel prices, the application of renewable energy technologies is promising. The worldwide use of photovoltaic electricity is growing rapidly by more than50% a year. In the urban environment, buildings are central to human activities. Therefore, to achieve sustainable urban development, buildings are of particular importance for distributed renewable energy generation. Of different types of buildings in the built environment, high-rise buildings are of particular interest because of their high potential for harvesting a considerable amount of photovoltaic (PV) energy on vertical and horizontal surfaces. Nevertheless, this high potential is seldom harnessed mainly because the deployment of PV modules on high-rise buildings involves consideration of a complex interplay between various factors that affect the installation of PV modules (e.g., urban canyons, self-shadowing effect, surface-specific PV modules, etc.). This renders the design of PV modules in high-rise buildings a complex optimization problem, one that requires a generative design approach. In recent years, and with the advent and rising popularity of Building Information Modeling (BIM) concept, the apparatus for the implementation of such a comprehensive generative design approach is becoming increasingly available. However, to the best of authors’ knowledge, there are currently no frameworks for the BIM-based generative design of PV modules for high-rise buildings. To this end, the present paper made a novel contribution to the body of knowledge by presenting a BIM-based generative design framework for PV module layout design on the whole exterior of tall buildings. This allows designers to consider the complex interaction between building surface types (e.g., windows, walls, etc.), type of PV module (e.g., opaque, semi-transparent, etc.), the efficiency of different PV modules, and the financial aspect of the PV system (i.e., revenue vs. cost at different study period). The results generated by the elaborate case study demonstrated that the generative design framework is capable of offering more favourable solutions (i.e., either or both of reduced costs and increased energy revenue) compared to baseline scenarios. It is observed that, in the majority of the studied scenarios, the optimum solutions favored a more consistent orientation of the panels (i.e., consistent pan and tilt angles across all the panels).

Performance Predictions Accuracy of a Smart Sun Tracking System for Photovoltaic Applications

Despite technological innovations, solar energy efficiency is still low nowadays. It thus needs to be optimized. To improve solar photovoltaic (PV) modules efficiency, several methods have been designed and implemented. Such methods are the Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) and Solar Tracking (ST). In this decade, the solar tracking method is facing a great challenge: the minimization of the electrical energy consumption of electromechanical systems used to track the sun’s position. Manufacturers must be able to predict the net electrical power output obtained from a tracking PV panel to save energy and time. The purpose of the present work is to simulate the performance of a smart solar tracker and assess the accuracy of predictions. To achieve this objective, the one diode model of solar PV cell has been used. In an innovative approach, the one diode model has been simulated using experimental data of temperature and global solar irradiance which are easily available on the internet. The accuracy of predicted values was analysed using reliable statistical indicators such as the Mean Absolute Error (MAE), the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), the Coefficient of determination (R-square) and the Pearson Coefficient of Correlation (PCC). Simulation results of the power output of the tracking PV panel is better than the one of the fixed panel with 0.25, 0.32, 0.66, and 0.81 respectively for the MAE, the RMSE, the R-square and the PCC. These results show that predictions are in good agreement with experimental measures.

Performance evaluation of polycrystalline photovoltaic modules in a Guinea Savanna and Mangrove swamp

This central idea of this research is to investigate how voltage, current, power output and efficiency of polycrystalline photovoltaic (PV) modules installed in a Guinea Savanna and Mangrove Swamp is affected by temperature, relative humidity and irradiance. The study locations are Calabar (mangrove swamp) and Ogoja (guinea savanna), in Cross River State, Nigeria. Two polycrystalline PV modules of exact specification mounted on a platform one-metre-high above the ground were used. A digital solar power meter (SM206) and a digital solar flux meter (MS 6616) was used to monitor and measure solar power and solar flux reaching the PV modules. A digital hygrometer and thermometer (KT-908) were used to monitor and measure the relative humidity and ambient temperature level at the height of installation and a digital multimeter (M880C+) accompanied with a temperature sensor was used to monitor voltage, current and panel temperature values from the modules. Analysis of the collected data reveals that the efficiency of the modules were not constant throughout the day. However, a higher voltage production and efficiency level was obtained for the PV module installed in Ogoja than that installed in Calabar under their respective levels of relative humidity, temperature and irradiance.

A novel thermal regulation of photovoltaic panels through phase change materials with metallic foam-based system and a concise comparison: An experimental study

The thermal regulation of photovoltaic (PV) modules is utmost necessary as temperature enhancement of PV panels deteriorates its conversion efficiency. Different studies have been done in the literature to regulate the temperature of module by using various fluids and materials which include air, water, nanofluids as well as phase change material (PCM). The current research studies four various types of PV configurations with the aim of enhancement in cell efficiency. These four configurations include reference panel, PV panel having only PCM, PV panel having PCM with foam of thickness 8 mm and PV panel having PCM along foam with 12 mm thickness. This is the novelty of the current research that PCM with foam have not studied yet in photovoltaic cooling. The PT58 and RT44 were used as phase change materials along with aluminum foam having 8 mm and 12 mm thickness. The experimentation was done under the environment of Taxila, Pakistan during the month of February. The maximum efficiency of PV module is found by the configuration having PCM with foam of 12 mm thickness. The result of experimentation depicts that reduction in maximum temperature by using RT44 along with foam was 11.21 °C for PV panel having only PCM, 20.95 °C for PV panel having PCM with foam of thickness 8 mm and 24.39 °C for PV panel having PCM along foam with 12 mm thickness with highest conversion efficiency 11.68 % , 11.79 % , 12.06 % respectively in comparison to naturally cooled PV module. Similarly, the lowering in temperature using PT/58 along with foam was 3.33 °C for PV panel having only PCM, 6.9 °C for PV panel having PCM with foam of thickness 8 mm and 9.03 °C for PV panel having PCM with foam of thickness 12 mm respectively having highest electrical efficiency 11.32 % , 11.50 % , 11.77 % respectively as compared to reference module. The increment in maximum percentage electrical power was 23.30 % for PV panel having RT44 PCM along foam with 12 mm thickness. The higher thickness of foam along with base phase change material depicted best results with maximum decrement in temperature of PV panel as well as maximum enhancement in conversion efficiency as compared to less value of foam thickness with base PCM. Therefore, this study is especially attractive to young researchers who are working in thermal management of photovoltaic.

Implementation of an Adaptive Neural Network-Based Controller for Improving the Conversion Efficiency of Solar Photovoltaic Module

Implementation of an Adaptive Neural Network-Based Controller for Improving the Conversion Efficiency of Solar Photovoltaic Module

Experimental Investigation of the Effect of a Combination of Active and Passive Cooling Mechanism on the Thermal Characteristics and Efficiency of Solar PV Module

A photovoltaic (PV) module’s electrical efficiency depends on the operating temperature of the cell. Electrical efficiency reduces with increasing PV module temperature which is one of the drawbacks of this technology. This is due to the negative temperature coefficient of a PV module which decreases its voltage significantly while the current increases slightly. This study combines both active and passive cooling mechanisms to improve the electrical output of a PV module. A heat sink made up of aluminum fins and an ultrasonic humidifier were used to cool the panel. The ultrasonic humidifier was used to generate a humid environment at the rear side of the PV module. The cooling process in the study was able to reduce the temperature of the panel averagely by 14.61 °C. This reduction led to a 6.8% improvement in the electrical efficiency of the module. The average power of 12.23 W was recorded for the cooled panel against 10.87 W for the referenced module. In terms of water consumption, a total of 1.5 L was approximately consumed during the whole experimental process due to evaporation. In effect, the proposed cooling approach was demonstrated as effective.

Implementation algorithm and mathematical model of contactless power transmission for powering an electric vehicle

The work is devoted to methods for increasing the energy efficiency of photovoltaic modules. Various algorithms for determining the maximum power points and their application to obtain the maximum possible efficiency when using solar panels are considered. The principles of the operation of algorithms are described, their advantages and disadvantages are indicated. Their comparison was carried out according to the main significant parameters. The most suitable algorithm for application at a weather station has been selected.

Light guidance film for bifacial photovoltaic modules

To improve the efficiency of bifacial photovoltaic modules, the idea of light deflection was addressed. A thin film with an intended structure was applied in the space between the cells. Due to the selected structural geometry, unused light is specifically redirected to the solar cell and can be absorbed by it and converted into additional current. The effect of the light-directing film was both simulated and measured. Single PV modules without and with commercial structured films or white back sheet were measured to evaluate the results The expected gain of up to 11% from the simulation could not be achieved by measurement, by reaching about 3%.