Evaluation of Shunt Losses in Industrial Silicon Solar Cells

Shunting is one of the key issues in industrial silicon solar cells which degrade cell performance. This paper presents an approach for investigation of the performance degradation caused by the presence of ohmic extended shunts at various locations in industrial silicon solar cells. Location, natur...

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Main Authors: P. Somasundaran, R. Gupta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-01-01
Series:International Journal of Photoenergy
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/8029608
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author P. Somasundaran
R. Gupta
author_facet P. Somasundaran
R. Gupta
author_sort P. Somasundaran
collection DOAJ
description Shunting is one of the key issues in industrial silicon solar cells which degrade cell performance. This paper presents an approach for investigation of the performance degradation caused by the presence of ohmic extended shunts at various locations in industrial silicon solar cells. Location, nature, and area of the shunts existing in solar cells have been examined by lock-in infrared thermography (LIT). Based on LIT images and experimental dark I-V curves of solar cell, shunted cell has been modeled, from which loss in fill factor and efficiency due to the specific shunt has been obtained. Distributed diode modeling approach of solar cell has been exploited for obtaining simulation results which were supported by experimental measurements. The presented approach is useful to estimate performance reduction due to specific shunts and to quantify losses, which can help in improving the efficiency of solar cell during production by tackling the shunt related problems based on the level of severity and tolerance.
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issn 1110-662X
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publishDate 2016-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series International Journal of Photoenergy
spelling doaj-art-3fc0e5043db044f4a5e1c55acc7e444e2025-08-20T02:08:04ZengWileyInternational Journal of Photoenergy1110-662X1687-529X2016-01-01201610.1155/2016/80296088029608Evaluation of Shunt Losses in Industrial Silicon Solar CellsP. Somasundaran0R. Gupta1Department of Energy Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, IndiaDepartment of Energy Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, IndiaShunting is one of the key issues in industrial silicon solar cells which degrade cell performance. This paper presents an approach for investigation of the performance degradation caused by the presence of ohmic extended shunts at various locations in industrial silicon solar cells. Location, nature, and area of the shunts existing in solar cells have been examined by lock-in infrared thermography (LIT). Based on LIT images and experimental dark I-V curves of solar cell, shunted cell has been modeled, from which loss in fill factor and efficiency due to the specific shunt has been obtained. Distributed diode modeling approach of solar cell has been exploited for obtaining simulation results which were supported by experimental measurements. The presented approach is useful to estimate performance reduction due to specific shunts and to quantify losses, which can help in improving the efficiency of solar cell during production by tackling the shunt related problems based on the level of severity and tolerance.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/8029608
spellingShingle P. Somasundaran
R. Gupta
Evaluation of Shunt Losses in Industrial Silicon Solar Cells
International Journal of Photoenergy
title Evaluation of Shunt Losses in Industrial Silicon Solar Cells
title_full Evaluation of Shunt Losses in Industrial Silicon Solar Cells
title_fullStr Evaluation of Shunt Losses in Industrial Silicon Solar Cells
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of Shunt Losses in Industrial Silicon Solar Cells
title_short Evaluation of Shunt Losses in Industrial Silicon Solar Cells
title_sort evaluation of shunt losses in industrial silicon solar cells
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/8029608
work_keys_str_mv AT psomasundaran evaluationofshuntlossesinindustrialsiliconsolarcells
AT rgupta evaluationofshuntlossesinindustrialsiliconsolarcells