Meteorological effects on solar cells

Abstract

Abstract The effect of different meteorological conditions on solar cell outputs has been investigated, using a model for a solar cell (p-on-n or n-on-p) which incorporates surface recombination, surface region electric field and series resistance. Two ways of defining ‘ clear ’ and ‘ cloudy ’ conditions have been used, and by interpolating between them we have constructed two continuous ranges of meteorological conditions. The optimum achievement of a hypothetical range of substances X(Eg) which have an energy gap Eg, but otherwise all have silicon material parameters, have been determined for each of the meteorological conditions mentioned above. The optimum material, X , for U.K. conditions is found to be X (1.78eV) rather than silicon which is X(1.12eV). However, its translation into a real material or its low-cost production are not considered here.