Homogenous Voltage-Matched Strings Using Three-Terminal Tandem Solar Cells

Fundamentals and End Losses

verfasst von

William McMahon, Henning Schulte-Huxel, Jeronimo Buencuerpo, John Geisz, Michelle Young, Talysa Klein, Adele Tamboli, Emily Warren

Abstract

Strings constructed from three-terminal tandem (3TT) solar cells offer the performance benefits of voltage-matching (which reduces sensitivity to spectral variation), but without the subcell voltage isolation required by four-terminal cells. However, the circuitry for a 3TT string can become complex, making circuit analysis more challenging. Here, we illustrate the essential features of 'homogenous' voltage-matched (VM) 3TT strings, for which all 3TT cells in the string are nominally identical (with the same design/doping sequence, such that they can be fabricated on the same manufacturing line). Several representative VM string configurations are explicitly considered, and used to describe the general construction of string I(V) curves. End losses intrinsic to these strings are discussed in detail, along with mitigation strategies to minimize their impact. Our analysis agrees with experimental results for eight-cell strings constructed from GaInP/GaAs 3TT devices.

Externe Organisation(en)

National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Institut für Solarenergieforschung GmbH (ISFH)

Typ

Artikel

Journal

IEEE journal of photovoltaics

Band

11

Seiten

1078-1086

Anzahl der Seiten

9

ISSN

2156-3381

Publikationsdatum

12.05.2021

Publikationsstatus

Veröffentlicht

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Elektronische, optische und magnetische Materialien, Physik der kondensierten Materie, Elektrotechnik und Elektronik

Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung

SDG 7 – Erschwingliche und saubere Energie

Elektronische Version(en)

https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1785087 (Zugang: Offen)
https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2021.3068325 (Zugang: Geschlossen)