Title :
Enhanced efficiency for voltage matched stacked multi-junction cells: Optimization with yearly temperature and spectra variations
Author :
Lentine, Anthony L. ; Nielson, Gregory N. ; Okandan, Murat ; Cruz-Campa, Jose-Luis ; Tauke-Pedretti, Anna
Author_Institution :
Sandia Nat. Labs., Albuquerque, NM, USA
Abstract :
We calculate voltage-matching considerations for stacked independent cells. The calculations show that designs using independent junctions that are voltage matched can achieve better efficiency across temperature, spectrum, and a yearly metric compared to traditional monolithic cells. Voltage matching is shown to be relatively insensitive to temperature and spectrum, but dependent on open circuit voltage as a measure of cell efficiency. Voltage matching can usually yield yearly efficiencies of 98%-99% of the efficiency of a system with each junction operating at its own maximum power point.
Keywords :
solar cells; cell efficiency; monolithic cells; open circuit voltage; voltage matched stacked multi-junction cells; voltage matching; Junctions; Optical filters; Photonic band gap; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic systems; Temperature measurement; Microoptics. Microsensors; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic systems; Solar Energy;
Conference_Titel :
Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), 2013 IEEE 39th
Conference_Location :
Tampa, FL
DOI :
10.1109/PVSC.2013.6744266