Output power of 1/3-phyllotaxis FPM under various stage shape and cell size conditions

In order to more effectively use solar energy, a three-dimensional (3D) photovoltaic module using Fibonacci numbers, hereafter referred to as a Fibonacci numbers photovoltaic module (FPM), has been proposed. In our previous report, it was shown that the power generation of an FPM, which is designed with multiple stages that mimic natural leaf arrangements, exceeds that of a conventional planar PV module. It was also shown that shadows cast by the FPM´s upper-stage cells significantly influence the output power of the lower-stage (second stage) cells. In this paper, we show that the power generation of each cell depends on its size and shape, and that the output power of an FPM with square cells is larger than one with sector cells. Our results also show that the maximum output power per area is obtained when the first stage and second stages are the same size.