Performance of single-junction a-Si modules under varying conditions in the field

Author

Cueto, J. A del ; McMahon, T.J.

Author_Institution

Nat. Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO, USA

fYear

1997

fDate

29 Sep-3 Oct 1997

Firstpage

1205

Lastpage

1208

Abstract

We report on the actual performance of large-area photovoltaic (PV) modules deployed outdoors, which are representative of single-junction amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin-film technology. They are part of the performance and energy-ratings testbed (PERT) at the Outdoor Test Facility (OTF) and are under continuous measurement and load conditions, as executed by a data acquisition system (DAS). The goals are to analyze and compare energy production and performance for various PV technologies deployed in actual field conditions and to validate the PV energy-ratings methodology being developed for modules. For single-junction a-Si, we found the effective efficiency is very similar to that measured at standard conditions

Keywords

amorphous semiconductors; elemental semiconductors; p-n junctions; semiconductor thin films; silicon; solar cells; testing; Outdoor Test Facility; PV energy-ratings methodology; PV modules; Si; continuous load conditions; continuous measurement; data acquisition system; energy performance; energy production; large-area photovoltaic modules; performance and energy-ratings testbed; single-junction a-Si modules; thin-film technology; varying conditions; Amorphous silicon; Data acquisition; Energy measurement; Performance analysis; Photovoltaic systems; Production; Semiconductor thin films; Solar power generation; System testing; Test facilities;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1997., Conference Record of the Twenty-Sixth IEEE

Conference_Location

Anaheim, CA

ISSN

0160-8371

Print_ISBN

0-7803-3767-0

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.1997.654305

Filename

654305