Title :
Technical evaluation of a dual-junction same-band-gap amorphous silicon photovoltaic system at NREL
Author :
Strand, Troy ; Mrig, Laxmi ; Hansen, Robert ; Emery, Keith
Author_Institution :
Nat. Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO, USA
Abstract :
On December 7, 1992, a 1.8-kWAC utility-interconnect photovoltaic (PV) system using amorphous silicon modules was brought on-line at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory´s photovoltaic test site. This system was deployed to conduct an in-situ technical evaluation of the PV array (in a high voltage configuration) and system performance and reliability in a utility-interconnect application. The system is unique due to the installation of construction-grade insulation on the back of each PV module. This use of insulation is an attempt to levelize the annual array power output by elevating the operating temperature of the modules. This paper presents array and system performance data. Emphasis is placed on quantifying the effects of individual losses as well as seasonal changes on PV array and system performance
Keywords :
amorphous semiconductors; elemental semiconductors; energy gap; photovoltaic power systems; semiconductor device testing; silicon; solar cell arrays; solar cells; 1.8 kW; NREL; National Renewable Energy Laboratory; PV array; Si; construction-grade insulation; dual-junction solar cells; high voltage configuration; losses; photovoltaic test site; same-band-gap a-Si PV system; utility-interconnect photovoltaic system; Amorphous materials; Amorphous silicon; Insulation; Laboratories; Photovoltaic systems; Renewable energy resources; Solar power generation; System performance; System testing; Voltage;
Conference_Titel :
Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, 1994., Conference Record of the Twenty Fourth. IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference - 1994, 1994 IEEE First World Conference on
Conference_Location :
Waikoloa, HI
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-1460-3
DOI :
10.1109/WCPEC.1994.520094
