Thermodynamic limit of bifacial double-junction tandem solar cells

Khan, M. Ryyan; Alam, Muhammad A.

doi:10.1063/1.4936341

Title: Thermodynamic limit of bifacial double-junction tandem solar cells

Abstract

Here, a traditional single-junction solar panel cannot harness ground-scattered light (albedo reflectance, R_A), and also suffers from the fundamental sub-band-gap and the thermalization losses. In this paper, we explain how a “bifacial tandem” panel would dramatically reduce these losses, with corresponding improvement in thermodynamic performance. Our study predicts (i) the optimum combination of the band-gaps, empirically given by E^opt_g(t) ≈ E^opt_g(b) (2+R_A)/3+(1–R_A) and the (ii) corresponding optimum normalized output power given by η*_T(opt) ≈ R_A (2η_SJ(opt)) + (1–R_A)η_DJ(opt). Empirically, η*_T(opt) interpolates between the thermodynamic efficiency limit of classical double-junction tandem cell (η_DJ) and twice that of a single-junction cell (η_SJ). We conclude by explaining how the fundamental loss mechanisms evolve with R_A in a bifacial tandem cell.

Authors:

^[1]; Alam, Muhammad A. ^[1]

Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States)

Publication Date:: Mon Nov 30 00:00:00 EST 2015

Research Org.:: Leland Stanford Junior Univ., Palo Alto, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 1468448

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1227338

Grant/Contract Number:: EE0004946; AC36-08GO28308

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Applied Physics Letters

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 107; Journal Issue: 22; Journal ID: ISSN 0003-6951

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 14 SOLAR ENERGY

Citation Formats


                    Khan, M. Ryyan, and Alam, Muhammad A. Thermodynamic limit of bifacial double-junction tandem solar cells.  United States: N. p., 2015. 
Web.  doi:10.1063/1.4936341.

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                    Khan, M. Ryyan, & Alam, Muhammad A. Thermodynamic limit of bifacial double-junction tandem solar cells.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4936341

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                    Khan, M. Ryyan, and Alam, Muhammad A. Mon .  
"Thermodynamic limit of bifacial double-junction tandem solar cells".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4936341.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1468448.

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@article{osti_1468448,

  title        = {Thermodynamic limit of bifacial double-junction tandem solar cells},

  author       = {Khan, M. Ryyan and Alam, Muhammad A.},

  abstractNote = {Here, a traditional single-junction solar panel cannot harness ground-scattered light (albedo reflectance, RA), and also suffers from the fundamental sub-band-gap and the thermalization losses. In this paper, we explain how a “bifacial tandem” panel would dramatically reduce these losses, with corresponding improvement in thermodynamic performance. Our study predicts (i) the optimum combination of the band-gaps, empirically given by Eoptg(t) ≈ Eoptg(b) (2+RA)/3+(1–RA) and the (ii) corresponding optimum normalized output power given by η*T(opt) ≈ RA (2ηSJ(opt)) + (1–RA)ηDJ(opt). Empirically, η*T(opt) interpolates between the thermodynamic efficiency limit of classical double-junction tandem cell (ηDJ) and twice that of a single-junction cell (ηSJ). We conclude by explaining how the fundamental loss mechanisms evolve with RA in a bifacial tandem cell.},

  doi          = {10.1063/1.4936341},

  journal      = {Applied Physics Letters},

  number       = 22,

  volume       = 107,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Mon Nov 30 00:00:00 EST 2015},

  month        = {Mon Nov 30 00:00:00 EST 2015}

}

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Works referencing / citing this record:

Bifacial Schottky‐Junction Plasmonic‐Based Solar Cell
journal, January 2020

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Title: Thermodynamic limit of bifacial double-junction tandem solar cells

Abstract

Citation Formats

Improved modeling of photoluminescent and electroluminescent coupling in multijunction solar cells journal, December 2015

Fundamentals of PV efficiency interpreted by a two-level model journal, September 2013

Limiting efficiencies for photovoltaic energy conversion in multigap systems journal, September 1996

Demonstration of a sol-gel synthesized bifacial CZTS photoelectrochemical cell journal, July 2011

Detailed balance limit for the series constrained two terminal tandem solar cell journal, April 2002

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Limiting efficiencies of ideal single and multiple energy gap terrestrial solar cells journal, August 1980

Bifacial solar arrays of Russian space crafts conference, January 2000

Bifacial Si heterojunction-perovskite organic-inorganic tandem to produce highly efficient ( ηT* ∼ 33%) solar cell journal, June 2015

Bifacial silicon solar cells with 21�3% front efficiency and 19�8% rear efficiency journal, January 2000

Bifacial CIGS (11% efficiency)/Si solar cells by Cd-free and sodium-free green process integrated with CIGS TFTs conference, December 2011

50 Per cent more output power from an albedo-collecting flat panel using bifacial solar cells journal, January 1982

Bias-dependence of luminescent coupling efficiency in multijunction solar cells journal, January 2015

Detailed balance limit of the efficiency of tandem solar cells journal, May 1980

Analysis of the Annual Performance of Bifacial Modules and Optimization Methods journal, January 2015

A case study of system power efficiency loss mechanisms in a multijunction, spectral splitting, concentrator solar cell system conference, June 2009

Double-sided n+-p-n+ solar cell for bifacial concentration journal, October 1980

SPECTRAL ALBEDO MEASUREMENTS IN THE UV and VISIBLE REGION OVER DIFFERENT TYPES OF SURFACES journal, October 1995

A new thin-film CuGaSe/sub 2//Cu(In,Ga)Se/sub 2/ bifacial, tandem solar cell with both junctions formed simultaneously conference, January 2002

Detailed Balance Limit of Efficiency of p‐n Junction Solar Cells journal, March 1961

Fundamental losses in solar cells journal, August 2010

Photon recycling and Shockley’s diode equation journal, October 1997

Light trapping, a new approach to spectrum splitting journal, December 2008

Diffusing reflectors for bifacial photovoltaic panels journal, January 1985

Non-linear luminescent coupling in series-connected multijunction solar cells journal, June 2012

Solar cell efficiency tables (version 42): Solar cell efficiency tables journal, July 2013

Bifacial Schottky‐Junction Plasmonic‐Based Solar Cell journal, January 2020

Thermodynamic efficiency limits of classical and bifacial multi-junction tandem solar cells: An analytical approach journal, October 2016

Improved modeling of photoluminescent and electroluminescent coupling in multijunction solar cells
journal, December 2015

Fundamentals of PV efficiency interpreted by a two-level model
journal, September 2013

Limiting efficiencies for photovoltaic energy conversion in multigap systems
journal, September 1996

Demonstration of a sol-gel synthesized bifacial CZTS photoelectrochemical cell
journal, July 2011

Detailed balance limit for the series constrained two terminal tandem solar cell
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Bifacial Growth InGaP/GaAs/InGaAs Concentrator Solar Cells
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Limiting efficiencies of ideal single and multiple energy gap terrestrial solar cells
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Bifacial solar arrays of Russian space crafts
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Bifacial Si heterojunction-perovskite organic-inorganic tandem to produce highly efficient ( ηT* ∼ 33%) solar cell
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50 Per cent more output power from an albedo-collecting flat panel using bifacial solar cells
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Bias-dependence of luminescent coupling efficiency in multijunction solar cells
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Detailed balance limit of the efficiency of tandem solar cells
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Analysis of the Annual Performance of Bifacial Modules and Optimization Methods
journal, January 2015

A case study of system power efficiency loss mechanisms in a multijunction, spectral splitting, concentrator solar cell system
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Double-sided n+-p-n+ solar cell for bifacial concentration
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A new thin-film CuGaSe/sub 2//Cu(In,Ga)Se/sub 2/ bifacial, tandem solar cell with both junctions formed simultaneously
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journal, August 2010

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