Presentation Details
| UV-Downshifting Encapsulants for Power Boost and Improved Stability in Photovoltaic Devices Dana B.Kern, Peter L.Hacke, Rebecca Wai, Xavier Hanna, B.Edward Sartor, Matthew O.Reese, Emily Warren, David C.Miller. National Laboratory of the Rockies, Golden, CO, USA |
Abstract
UV-downshifting (UV-DS) packaging is gaining traction in photovoltaics (PV) because of its ability to boost module power by shifting ultraviolet (UV) light into visible light that may be more readily photoconverted by the solar cell. Here, we present excitation and emission spectra for emerging commercial UV-DS encapsulants and analyze the expected power boost for different PV cell types. The effectiveness is dictated by the spectral match between the UV-DS additive emission, the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of the cell, and the incident solar spectrum on the front (or rear) of a (bifacial) PV cell. We further discuss the role of UV-DS additives in protecting against UV-induced degradation (UVID) of the PV cell and quantify the optical absorption and reflection events within the packaging materials. The UV-DS encapsulant may mitigate UVID by limiting the damaging UV light that reaches the front cell stack.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.