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Effect of Shunts on Thin-Film CdTe Module Performance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Galymzhan T. Koishiyev  and
James R. Sites
Galymzhan T. Koishiyev
Affiliation:
galymzhan.koishiyev@gmail.com, Colorado State University, Physics, 1875 Campus Delivery, AR124 Engineering, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80523, United States, 9704911105, 9704917947
James R. Sites
Affiliation:
sites@lamar.colostate.edu, Colorado State University, Physics, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
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Abstract

A 2-D numerical circuit model is used to analyze the impact of shunts on basic performance parameters of a CdTe thin-film module. A numerical estimate of module-efficiency loss in the worst-case scenario due to shunts of different severity and fractional module area is presented. It is shown that absolute module-efficiency loss Δη (%) varies in systematic fashion with these shunt parameters. Estimates of Δη based on simple area-weighted efficiency are typically low by 3-4 times. Furthermore, the distribution pattern of shunts over the module plays a significant role in the module loss. A reliable parameter P to characterize the distribution of shunts is introduced, and its effect on module-efficiency loss, as well as individual-parameter (FF, VOC and JSC) losses, is shown. Furthermore, higher transparent-conductive-oxide (TCO) sheet resistance is shown to increase shunt isolation and consequently mitigate the efficiency decrease.

Keywords

thin filmphotovoltaicsimulation
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1165: Symposium M – Thin-Film Compound Semiconductor Photovoltaics–2009 , 2009 , 1165-M05-22
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2009

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References

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2. Fahrenbruch, A.L., Bube, R.H., Fundamentals of Solar Cells, Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conversion, Academic Press, New York, 1983, p. 362–364.Google Scholar
3. Koishiyev, Galymzhan T., Sites, James R., Impact of sheet resistance on 2-D modeling thin-film solar cells, Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells 93 (2009) 350–354.Google Scholar