Accurate produced PV energy estimation is critical to business decisions under long-term investments in PV on a utility scale. PV energy yield is affected by different sites' specific conditions. The variability of the spectral distribution after temperature and irradiation is a site condition that impacts energy yield estimates. Evaluating the impact of the spectral irradiance distribution on the PV performance generally requires accurate information about the PV device's spectral response and the site’s measured spectra. Detailed spectral and device information may not always be available. This study analyzes the interrelations between device-dependent and device-independent energetic spectral indicators with spectral data from nine sites with different climates and latitudes, aiming to relax the requirement for detailed device and spectral information. First, an apparent correlation...

Semiconductor-insulator interfaces play an important role in the performance of many different electronic and optoelectronic devices such as transistors, LEDs, lasers and solar cells. Particularly, the recombination of photo-generated charge carriers at interfaces in crystalline silicon solar cells causes a dramatic efficiency reduction. Therefore, during the fabrication process, the crystalline silicon must be subjected to prior superficial passivation; typically through an insulating layer such as SiO2, SiNx or AlOx. The function of this passivating layer is to reduce electrical recombination losses in interfacial defect states originating from dangling bonds. The associated passivation parameters are, on the one hand, stable charges within the insulating layer (Qox) that by repelling a certain type of charge carrier from the crystalline silicon surface, reduces its recombination effec...

Semiconductor-insulator interfaces play an important role in the performance of many different electronic and optoelectronic devices such as transistors, LEDs, lasers and solar cells. Particularly, the recombination of photo-generated charge carriers at interfaces in crystalline silicon solar cells causes a dramatic efficiency reduction. Therefore, during the fabrication process, the crystalline silicon must be subjected to prior superficial passivation; typically through an insulating layer such as SiO2, SiNx or AlOx. The function of this passivating layer is to reduce electrical recombination losses in interfacial defect states originating from dangling bonds. The associated passivation parameters are, on the one hand, stable charges within the insulating layer (Qox) that by repelling a certain type of charge carrier from the crystalline silicon surface, reduces its recombination effec...

Accurate produced PV energy estimation is critical to business decisions under long-term investments in PV on a utility scale. PV energy yield is affected by different sites' specific conditions. The variability of the spectral distribution after temperature and irradiation is a site condition that impacts energy yield estimates. Evaluating the impact of the spectral irradiance distribution on the PV performance generally requires accurate information about the PV device's spectral response and the site’s measured spectra. Detailed spectral and device information may not always be available. This study analyzes the interrelations between device-dependent and device-independent energetic spectral indicators with spectral data from nine sites with different climates and latitudes, aiming to relax the requirement for detailed device and spectral information. First, an apparent correlation...

I would like to thank the National Council of Science, Technology and Technological Innovation (Concytec) from Peru for the award of a scholarship which made it possible to do this research work.

In order to find a module’s real efficiency and predict its power and energy production it is necessary to study its behaviour and characterize it in the conditions in which it is installed. The single diode model for photovoltaic (PV) cells relates a cell’s current to its voltage through five electric parameters which give us fundamental information about a module and the physical processes inside its cells. Currently, there are many analytical, numerical and heuristic methods used to extract the model’s parameters, each one with advantages and disadvantages that depend on the technology of the module and climate conditions. Current analytical methods used to extract parameters from silicon modules were applied to thin film PV modules in order to study their validity. This work presents the results of the parameter extraction by comparing the measured current-voltage (IV) curve wi...

In order to find a module’s real efficiency and predict its power and energy production it is necessary to study its behaviour and characterize it in the conditions in which it is installed. The single diode model for photovoltaic (PV) cells relates a cell’s current to its voltage through five electric parameters which give us fundamental information about a module and the physical processes inside its cells. Currently, there are many analytical, numerical and heuristic methods used to extract the model’s parameters, each one with advantages and disadvantages that depend on the technology of the module and climate conditions. Current analytical methods used to extract parameters from silicon modules were applied to thin film PV modules in order to study their validity. This work presents the results of the parameter extraction by comparing the measured current-voltage (IV) curve wi...

This paper presents the design, implementation and first results of a Photovoltaic Research Laboratory developed at the facilities of the Materials Science and Renewable Energy Group (MatER-PUCP) of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru in collaboration with the IDEA Research Group (Research and Development in Solar Energy) of the University of Jaen (UJA), Spain. This laboratory is one of the first in the country with the appropriate equipment for calibration and certification of different commercial and emerging technologies of photovoltaic modules in the Peruvian market. The results that are expected to be obtained through an extensive experimental campaign, which began in May 2019, may be offered to companies or other public institutions, such as detailed studies of the behavior and degradation of the different technologies of photovoltaic modules depending on the particular clim...

This paper presents the design, implementation and first results of a Photovoltaic Research Laboratory developed at the facilities of the Materials Science and Renewable Energy Group (MatER-PUCP) of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru in collaboration with the IDEA Research Group (Research and Development in Solar Energy) of the University of Jaen (UJA), Spain. This laboratory is one of the first in the country with the appropriate equipment for calibration and certification of different commercial and emerging technologies of photovoltaic modules in the Peruvian market. The results that are expected to be obtained through an extensive experimental campaign, which began in May 2019, may be offered to companies or other public institutions, such as detailed studies of the behavior and degradation of the different technologies of photovoltaic modules depending on the particular clim...