Calibration and measurement of solar cells and modules by the solar simulator method in Japan

Procedures for the calibration and measurement of solar cells and modules by the solar simulator method, which are carried out at Japanese calibration laboratories (AIST and JET), are described. Reproducibility of the short circuit current calibration value I/sub sc/(c) of typical c-Si primary reference solar cells was about /spl plusmn/0.5% after the move from the former calibration lab. (JQA). The calibration of the spectroradiometer by standard lamps has the major influence on the reproducibility. Introduction of WRR traceable absolute cavity radiometers to measure the absolute irradiance of the solar simulators is expected to reduce the total uncertainty. Measurements of modules and various kinds of solar cells other than c-Si are also discussed.