Is conversion efficiency still relevant to qualify advanced multi-junction solar cells?

For better conversion of sunlight into electricity, advanced architectures of multi-junction (MJ) solar cells include increasing numbers of subcells. The Achilles’ heel of these cells lies in their increased sensitivity to the spectral distribution of sunlight, which is likely to significantly alter...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Vossier, Alexis, Riverola Lacasta, Alberto, Chemisana Villegas, Daniel, Dollet, Alain, Gueymard, Christian A.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2017
País:España
Institución:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repositorio:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:10459.1/59070
Acceso en línea:https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2853
http://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/59070
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Multi-junction
Solar cell
CPV
Energy yield
Solar spectrum
id ES_8ddab4233d1dc50f8ada0c3c19d197fc
oai_identifier_str oai:recercat.cat:10459.1/59070
network_acronym_str ES
network_name_str España
repository_id_str
spelling Is conversion efficiency still relevant to qualify advanced multi-junction solar cells?Vossier, AlexisRiverola Lacasta, AlbertoChemisana Villegas, DanielDollet, AlainGueymard, Christian A.Multi-junctionSolar cellCPVEnergy yieldSolar spectrumFor better conversion of sunlight into electricity, advanced architectures of multi-junction (MJ) solar cells include increasing numbers of subcells. The Achilles’ heel of these cells lies in their increased sensitivity to the spectral distribution of sunlight, which is likely to significantly alter their performance during real working operation. This study investigates the capacity of MJ solar cells comprising up to 10 subcells to accommodate a wide range of spectral characteristics of the incident radiation. A systematic study is performed, aimed at a realistic estimation of the energy output of MJ-based concentrating photovoltaic systems at characteristic locations selected to represent a large range of climatic conditions. We show that optimal MJ architectures could have between 4 and 7 subcells. Beyond seven subcells, the slight gains in peak efficiency are likely outweighed by detrimental increases in dependence on local conditions and in annual yield variability. The relevance of considering either conversion efficiency or modeled energy output as the most appropriate indicator of the cell performance, when considering advanced architectures of MJ solar cells, is also discussed.This work was supported in part by the Program “Investment for the Future” of the National Agency for Research of the French State under award number ANR-10-LABX-22-01-SOLSTICE and by “Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad” of Spain under grant numbers ENE2013-48325-R and BES-2014-069596.Wiley2017info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersionhttps://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2853http://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/59070reponame:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunyainstname:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)InglésMINECO/PN2013-2016/ENE2013-48325-RVersió postprint del document publicat a https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2853Progress in Photovoltaics, 2017, vol. 25, núm. 3, p. 242-254(c) John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 2016info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:recercat.cat:10459.1/590702026-05-29T05:05:01Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Is conversion efficiency still relevant to qualify advanced multi-junction solar cells?
title Is conversion efficiency still relevant to qualify advanced multi-junction solar cells?
spellingShingle Is conversion efficiency still relevant to qualify advanced multi-junction solar cells?
Vossier, Alexis
Multi-junction
Solar cell
CPV
Energy yield
Solar spectrum
title_short Is conversion efficiency still relevant to qualify advanced multi-junction solar cells?
title_full Is conversion efficiency still relevant to qualify advanced multi-junction solar cells?
title_fullStr Is conversion efficiency still relevant to qualify advanced multi-junction solar cells?
title_full_unstemmed Is conversion efficiency still relevant to qualify advanced multi-junction solar cells?
title_sort Is conversion efficiency still relevant to qualify advanced multi-junction solar cells?
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Vossier, Alexis
Riverola Lacasta, Alberto
Chemisana Villegas, Daniel
Dollet, Alain
Gueymard, Christian A.
author Vossier, Alexis
author_facet Vossier, Alexis
Riverola Lacasta, Alberto
Chemisana Villegas, Daniel
Dollet, Alain
Gueymard, Christian A.
author_role author
author2 Riverola Lacasta, Alberto
Chemisana Villegas, Daniel
Dollet, Alain
Gueymard, Christian A.
author2_role author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Multi-junction
Solar cell
CPV
Energy yield
Solar spectrum
topic Multi-junction
Solar cell
CPV
Energy yield
Solar spectrum
description For better conversion of sunlight into electricity, advanced architectures of multi-junction (MJ) solar cells include increasing numbers of subcells. The Achilles’ heel of these cells lies in their increased sensitivity to the spectral distribution of sunlight, which is likely to significantly alter their performance during real working operation. This study investigates the capacity of MJ solar cells comprising up to 10 subcells to accommodate a wide range of spectral characteristics of the incident radiation. A systematic study is performed, aimed at a realistic estimation of the energy output of MJ-based concentrating photovoltaic systems at characteristic locations selected to represent a large range of climatic conditions. We show that optimal MJ architectures could have between 4 and 7 subcells. Beyond seven subcells, the slight gains in peak efficiency are likely outweighed by detrimental increases in dependence on local conditions and in annual yield variability. The relevance of considering either conversion efficiency or modeled energy output as the most appropriate indicator of the cell performance, when considering advanced architectures of MJ solar cells, is also discussed.
publishDate 2017
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2017
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion
format article
status_str acceptedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2853
http://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/59070
url https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2853
http://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/59070
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv MINECO/PN2013-2016/ENE2013-48325-R
Versió postprint del document publicat a https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2853
Progress in Photovoltaics, 2017, vol. 25, núm. 3, p. 242-254
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv (c) John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 2016
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv (c) John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 2016
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Wiley
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Wiley
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
instname:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
instname_str Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
reponame_str Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
collection Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
_version_ 1869413080536973312
score 15.81155