TY - GEN
T1 - Effect of shunts on thin-film CdTe module performance
AU - Koishiyev, Galymzhan T.
AU - Sites, James R.
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - 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 △η(%) varies in systematic fashion with these shunt parameters. Estimates of △η 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.
AB - 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 △η(%) varies in systematic fashion with these shunt parameters. Estimates of △η 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.
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M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:77952030815
SN - 9781605111384
T3 - Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings
SP - 203
EP - 208
BT - Thin-Film Compound Semiconductor Photovoltaics - 2009
T2 - 2009 MRS Spring Meeting
Y2 - 13 April 2009 through 17 April 2009
ER -