Photovoltaic Specialists Conference 

About: Photovoltaic Specialists Conference is an academic conference. The conference publishes majorly in the area(s): Solar cell & Photovoltaic system. Over the lifetime, 12996 publications have been published by the conference receiving 93627 citations.

Comparative study of maximum power point tracking algorithms using an experimental, programmable, maximum power point tracking test bed

Abstract: Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is important in solar power systems because it reduces the solar array cost by decreasing the number of solar panels needed to obtain the desired output power. Several different MPPT methods have been proposed, but there has been no comprehensive experimental comparison between all the different algorithms and their overall maximum power point (MPP) tracking efficiencies under varying conditions (i.e. Illumination, temperature, and load). This paper such a comparison. Results are using a microprocessor controlled MPPT powered by a 250 W photovoltaic (PV) array and also a PV array simulator.

Quasi-steady-state photoconductance, a new method for solar cell material and device characterization

Abstract: This paper describes a new method for minority-carrier lifetime determination using a contactless photoconductance instrument in a quasi-steady-state mode. Compared to the more common transient photoconductance decay approach, the new technique permits the use of simpler electronics and light sources, yet has the capability to measure lifetimes in the nanosecond to millisecond range. In addition, by analyzing the quasi-steady-state photoconductance as a function of incident light intensity, an implicit I/sub SC/-V/sub OV/ curve can be obtained for noncontacted silicon wafers and solar cell precursors.

PC1D version 5: 32-bit solar cell modeling on personal computers

Abstract: The computer program PC1D is widely used for modeling crystalline solar cells. This paper describes a new version of the program which takes advantage of the latest graphical environments of personal computers to offer improved visualization of cell design and operation, simpler comparison of experimental data with simulation results, greatly increased calculation speed, and improved models for generation and recombination effects. We demonstrate the use of some of these features to explore the importance of trap-assisted tunneling at heavily doped junctions in material with low carrier lifetime, as is often encountered in thin polycrystalline silicon cells.

27.6% Conversion efficiency, a new record for single-junction solar cells under 1 sun illumination

Abstract: Alta Devices, Inc. has fabricated a thin-film GaAs device on a flexible substrate with an independently-confirmed solar energy conversion efficiency of 27.6%, under AM1.5G solar illumination at 1 sun intensity. This represents a new record for single-junction devices under non-concentrated sunlight. This surpasses the previous record, for conversion efficiency of a single-junction device under non-concentrated light, by more than 1%. This is due largely to the high open-circuit voltage (V oc ) of this device. The high V oc results from precise control of the dark current. The fact that this record result has been achieved with a thin-film shows that, for GaAs material systems, the majority of the growth substrate is not needed for device performance. This allows one to consider amortizing the potentially high cost of a GaAs growth substrate by growing a thin-film, lifting it off, and reusing the same substrate multiple times. This technology therefore has the potential to be a novel high-performance, thin-film option for terrestrial photovoltaics.