Abstract
Elevated operating temperatures of solar cells encapsulated in modules lead to reduced efficiency and module lifetime. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities for passive optical thermal management of PV modules based on the rejection of sub-band-gap light by idealized reflectors and scatterers applied at different interfaces within crystalline Si modules and discuss the limitations to performance at each interface. We find that the annual power-weighted average operating temperature is most readily reduced via sub-band-gap reflection from the module glass, by 3.3 K for Al-BSF modules and 2.9 K for PERC modules with 100% sub-band-gap reflection. Sub-band-gap reflection at the cell interface offers up to 2.2 K (1.8 K) temperature reduction for Al-BSF (PERC) modules, increased cell rear reflection offers up to 1.2 K temperature reduction, and directional scattering offers up to 1.5 K reduction.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 100430 |
| Journal | Cell Reports Physical Science |
| Volume | 2 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 19 2021 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The authors would like to acknowledge Dr. Greg Haugstad for performing scanning probe microscopy measurements. Part of this work was carried out with equipment supported by funding from the National Science Foundation through the UMN MRSEC under award no. DMR-2011401 . This work was authored in part by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, operated by Alliance for Sustainable Energy for the US Department of Energy (DOE) under contract no. DE-AC36-08GO28308 . Funding provided by the US DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office under award no. DE-EE0008542 . The US Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US Government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this work, or allow others to do so, for US Government purposes. This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the US Government. Neither the US Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe on privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the US Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the US Government or any agency thereof.
Funding Information:
The authors would like to acknowledge Dr. Greg Haugstad for performing scanning probe microscopy measurements. Part of this work was carried out with equipment supported by funding from the National Science Foundation through the UMN MRSEC under award no. DMR-2011401. This work was authored in part by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, operated by Alliance for Sustainable Energy for the US Department of Energy (DOE) under contract no. DE-AC36-08GO28308. Funding provided by the US DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office under award no. DE-EE0008542. The US Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US Government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this work, or allow others to do so, for US Government purposes. This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the US Government. Neither the US Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe on privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the US Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the US Government or any agency thereof. Conceptualization, I.M.S. M.G.D. T.J.S. and V.E.F.; methodology, I.M.S. M.G.D. T.J.S. and V.E.F.; investigation, I.M.S.; resources, M.G.D. and T.J.S.; writing – original draft, I.M.S. M.G.D. and V.E.F.; writing – review & editing, I.M.S. M.G.D. T.J.S. and V.E.F.; funding acquisition, M.G.D. T.J.S. and V.E.F. The authors declare no competing interests.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s)
Keywords
- photovoltaics
- solar energy
- spectrally selective structures
- thermal management
