Perovskite Solar Cells go Outdoors: Field Testing and Temperature Effects on Energy Yield

TLDR

Perovskite solar cells can match conventional photovoltaics in laboratory tests, yet such controlled measurements do not capture the day‑night cycles, fluctuating irradiance, and temperature variations encountered outdoors. This study evaluates the real‑world performance of PSCs on a rooftop under actual weather conditions. One‑centimeter‑square single‑junction PSCs with an initial 18.5 % efficiency were monitored in maximum‑power‑point mode for several weeks while simultaneously recording irradiance and temperature, and laboratory tests across 10–120 % AM1.5 light and 25–85 °C were performed to model temperature and light effects and track degradation. The devices exhibit a low power temperature coefficient of –0.17 % K⁻¹, and incorporating these temperature‑ and light‑dependent parameters into an energy‑yield model accurately predicts the generated energy, thereby validating the model.

Abstract

Abstract Perovskite solar cells (PSC) have shown that under laboratory conditions they can compete with established photovoltaic technologies. However, controlled laboratory measurements usually performed do not fully resemble operational conditions and field testing outdoors, with day‐night cycles, changing irradiance and temperature. In this contribution, the performance of PSCs in the rooftop field test, exposed to real weather conditions is evaluated. The 1 cm 2 single‐junction devices, with an initial average power conversion efficiency of 18.5% are tracked outdoors in maximum power point over several weeks. In parallel, irradiance and air temperature are recorded, allowing us to correlate outside factors with generated power. To get more insight into outdoor device performance, a comprehensive set of laboratory measurements under different light intensities (10% to 120% of AM1.5) and temperatures is performed. From these results, a low power temperature coefficient of −0.17% K −1 is extracted in the temperature range between 25 and 85 °C. By incorporating these temperature‐ and light‐dependent PV parameters into the energy yield model, it is possible to correctly predict the generated energy of the devices, thus validating the energy yield model. In addition, degradation of the tested devices can be tracked precisely from the difference between measured and modelled power.