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This paper deals with the overview of the new worldwide actualities and developments on the field of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy use. Both, the solar cell and module technologies are to be discussed including their introduction possibilities and applications. The situation is mainly analyzed based on the recent development shown intensively at the Solar World Congresses organized by the International Solar Energy Society, and also by the ISES-Europe Unit. Moreover, the most recently published yearbooks in this topic served also a basic source to the overall statements. The most important standpoints of the PV manufacturing and applications are as: solar photovoltaic scenarios, PV industry characterization, new PV innovation segments, PV market issues and new PV applications areas. It includes increasing trend in energy mix, decreasing cell and module prices, cell efficiency increase, competition between different technologies, multi-Gigawatts applications, widening feed-in tariff system. At the same time, due to the growing market demand of solar photovoltaic applications, several new issues came to the light, transparency and extra size of modules, application of new technologies. In this paper examples are shown for photovoltaic application possibilities in the sense of mentioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a review of better performance for the photovoltaic system using different technologies and parameters by considering many factors to get the best design and simulation that could fit the Iraqi atmosphere. These factors are the best energy production by using optimum tilt and azimuth angle, considered the most important parameters for getting the maximum solar radiation and eventually getting the preferable performance which depends on the mathematical model that fits each country. The economic profit for a PV system that the reviewer analysis in each paper for maximizing the solar contribution to a particular load, in addition to the impact of how weather conditions such as temperature, solar radiation intensity, etc. have an impact on solar cell efficiency and productivity.; all these factors besides the stability of the solar cell, the relation of the Self Consumption (SC) Degree of Autarky (DA) and economic-efficiency that effect on the PV system performance. The various orientation enables us to obtain many possibilities that serve the required study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the effect of various symmetrical and asymmetrical fault on a hybrid micro-grid system, consisting of a solar photovoltaic array and fuel cell, is analyzed. With the advancement in technology, there has been an immense increase in the demand for electrical energy that has not only become a challenge for its production but also for its distribution. This rising demand is complicating the power grid by necessitating greater reliability, efficiency, and security, as well as environmental and energy sustainability. Mitigating of faults, an unavoidable part of grid, in the quickest possible time is also necessary for the supply of steady power to consumers. The impact of the fault current on the inverter-connected DGs as well as conventional DGs is also analyzed. A MATLAB Simulink model of hybrid Micro-grid is developed and different characteristics is analyzed and appropriate protection schemes are deployed. In this paper the presence of both DC and AC sources in the modelled network brings out the possibility of DC and AC analysis together which is a crucial part of the power system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims on the design and applications of zn-porphyrin based light harvesting assemblies. Porphyrin possess a number of worthwhile applications in light harvesting arrays, molecular wires, catalyst, sensors etc. A number of metals can be used for metallation of porphyrins like cobalt, iron, magnesium, ruthenium, etc. Among all, zinc is the most efficient choice for the light harvesting materials generation based on porphyrins. Zn-porphyrin possess an efficient energy transfer process, it also seems interesting in the visible light absorption and also contributes towards solar cell applications. Due to the high energy demand in the society day by day, everyone is in search of a good light harvesting material which has been accomplished by these porphyrin assemblies. The remarkable properties of zn-porphyrin have attracted the researchers to use it as the building block for the design an excellent light harvesting complex. Various polymeric, monomeric covalently as well as non-covalently linked assemblies based on Zn porphyrins have been a major point of discussion here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide requirement of energy is presently increasing beyond the capacity of generation. To fulfilling the upcoming energy needs effectively, generation of energy need to be enhanced and sustainable energy sources should be examined insistently. Compelling energy arrangements have the option to address future problems by using the alternative sustainable power sources. Apart from several renewable sources, solar energy is clearly a capable choice because of its accessibility. Solar power, particularly as it arrives at increasingly serious levels comparing to remaining sources of energy as far as cost, may provide to continue a lives of lots of oppressed individuals into the developing nations. Additionally, solar energy equipments are able to promote an economy and atmosphere of developing nations. Solar energy is primarily used for heat and power generation. International energy agency (WA) appears, into a relative report on global energy utilization that into the year 2050 solar arrays installation will give around 45% of global demand. Solar energy is supposed to be significant sustainable power sources which assume an extraordinary position while giving energy arrangements. Most of the researches have been completed on the solar rays capturing technology and lots of work is still undergoing. But apart from these, limited research was carried out on the solar mounting structures and various mounting technology of the solar panel. This paper aimed to make a short review on the various available renewable energy sources along with solar energy and various mounting systems for the PV panels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper gives out the implementation of boost (step-up) converter and Z-source Inverter (ZSI) for solar Photo-Voltaic (PV) applications through Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) control. Present energy demand mainly depends on renewable energy sources (RES). The Solar energy is best and the acceptable solution for increasing energy demand. To increase the dc voltage from the solar array, the boost converter is connected between the solar PV array and the Z-source Inverter (ZSI). The ZSI can be responsible to enhance the dc output voltage from the boost converter that can be given to load. MPPT algorithm is utilized for the generation of duty cycle and the triggering pulse for the boost (step-up) converter. The Simple Boost (SB) PWM control algorithm is used for the ZSI. The modelling and simulation of the boost converter and ZSI are presented. The simulation results are obtained by considering the 1Soltech 1STH-215-P solar array model in Matlab and simulation results are validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is powered by solar cells installed onboard which capture solar energy during daylight. Such generated power is supplied to the motor to propel the aircraft and other electronics or to recharge the battery on board. Solar-powered UAVs are used for long-term service missions at very low costs. This paper presents the generation of the low energy flight path for a small 5.5 kg hand-launchable low-altitude long-endurance (LALE) solar-powered UAV. The goal of the proposed work is to decrease the energy consumption of aircraft to increase endurance by using the optimal climb angle and the minimum sink rate glide. A climb and glide phase energy optimization with the validation of surplus solar energy to satisfy the energy consumption has been proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essentiality of electricity in today's world is increasing for the mankind. The need of electricity is only increasing day to day while the fossil fuels for generating the electricity is decreasing. The generation of energy can only be met by depending on solar energy. In current scenario of energy generation among the usage of renewable energy resources, solar energy stands at the top. While the solar energy is abundant, harnessing the electric energy is challenging. The size and number of PV cells is ever increasing to harness more energy while there are certain factors that can be considered to increase the efficiency of the PV system. The paper describes one such technique in which the PV panels are rotated according to the motion of the sun to receive maximum intensity of light which in turn increases the generation of the energy. Also, the dust on the panel, which has the impact on efficiency of the panel, is monitored and cleaned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Now-a-days, power from Sun (solar light) is generated universally. At present, there is a claim of clean energy and we can get a great amountof power from sun. Energy from sun is boundless andhuge amount of energy (heat and light) falls on ground per day andif we can use that energy properly then there is a hope of satisfactoriness in energy. To get energy from sun, we use various kinds of solar cells. Solar cell converts light into electricity directly by using photovoltaic effect and there are many varieties of them. Solar cell is also well-known as photovoltaic cell (PV cell) and is used to switch sun's energy into electrical energy. Getting power from sun is considered as the solution of sustainable energy.But for that, we need to know how and where we can use solar energy and where it will be supplementary proficient to apply. In this paper, we have discussed about the types of solar cells and good things about solar concentrated tower. Mainly remarkable, to produce electricity, a block diagram has been discussed with some important applications to make this energy efficient in this paper. In the direction of gettinghuge power, only solar panel is not satisfying as solar power tower with mirror (solar energy concentrated tower) gives a large amount of power. So, in our block diagram, we are using both solar panel and solar concentrated tower as both solar panel and tower will be more efficient if connected together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In modern days energy consumption is rapidly increased. Due to this fossil fuels are reduced. By using PV cells, we can directly convert solar energy into electrical energy. In this paper, we presented the materials required for solar panels installation, a brief introduction about challenges faced by solar energy generation and their methodologies, and also give a comprehensive review of the solar tracking system and different solar MPPT techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of CPV is sensitive to the spectrum change. Several previous works have been published on the sensitivity of multi-junction cells to airmass variations as well as works on band gap tuning and optimization of multi-junction stacks under concentrated radiation in various locations. Such a variety of atmospheric conditions, airmass as well as climate (quality of direct sunlight) are dynamic and cannot be controlled by the product design. All we can do is to customize the design by locations (not capable of dynamic variation) or inventing a robust device configuration against a dynamic change of atmospheric conditions (also effective to regional variation). Enhancing a luminescent coupling is useful to suppress the spectrum mismatching loss inherent to outdoor CPV installation. The configuration of the solar cell with 100 % of the recycling of the surplus photon energy for compensating spectrum mismatching is called an SMJ solar cell (super-multi-junction solar cell). The advantage of the SMJ solar cells in non-concentrating fixed sloped angle installation was intensively analyzed in the previous works. However, that of CPV was only investigated under the combination of the worst-case atmospheric parameter distributions, and not under the realistic spectrum variations, so that the calculation result was too extreme. This paper intended to fill the missing stone, by updating a previous result on CPV modeled under the combination of the worst-case variations of atmospheric conditions in the worst locations for CPV, by the realistic fluctuation pattern of meteorological parameters and climate using the intensive analysis that was done to the non-concentration installation (fixed installation). The SMJ was also confirmed valid to CPV under the dynamic fluctuation of the direct solar resources. Different from the non-concentrating operation, the normal CPV was found raising annual average outdoor efficiency under realistic atmospheric conditions simulated by the regional states in Miyazaki, Japan, up to six-junctions. This analysis also implies the bandgap design guideline for the robustness of the spectrum variation, trying to place the bandgap energy of the some of the sub-cells close to the water-absorption band (1.3 eV, 1.1 eV, and 0.89 eV). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve a maximum efficiency of solar energy collection, thermal tubes are used associated with a highly effective alternative, namely the inclusion of thermal tube inside the vacuum tubes which minimize the energy losses in the external environment. Thus the most effective solar power devices are achieved. Using thermal tubes in the solar panels is a very effective solution due to their obvious advantages in terms of heat transfer with the highest density of the heat flow. The paper presents thermodynamic analysis of the processes in thermal tubes for solar collectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the impact of the humidity on the Solar panels which makes a space for the drastic variation in the power generated and makes the device less efficient. Humidity readily affects the efficiency of the solar cells and creates a minimal layer of water on its surface. It also decreases the efficiency by 10-20% of the total power output produced. Moreover, to handle this issue, all around characterized measures are required to be taken to guarantee the smooth working of the solar panels utilized in humid areas. In connection with this issue, Karachi, the biggest city of Pakistan which is located near the costal line touching Arabian Sea, was taken as a reference city to measure the humidity range. In Karachi, the average humidity lies between 25-70% (as per Pakistan Meteorological Department PMD), that indirectly leads in decreasing power acquired from a Solar Panel and develops various complexities for the solar system. The system on average experiences stability issues, such as those of power fluctuations etc., due to which, the whole solar system installed observes abnormal variations in acquired power. Silica Gel was used as a desiccant material in order to assure dryness over the solar panel. More than four experiments were conducted with the usage of water absorbent to improve the efficiency and to make system more power efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work proposes a control device for autonomous solar tracker based on one axis, It consists of two main parts; the control part which is based on "the PIC16f628a"; it has the role of controlling, measuring and plotting responses. The second part is a mechanical device, which has the role of making the solar panel follows the day-night change of the sun throughout the year. Both parties are established to improve energy generation of the photovoltaic panels. In this paper, we will explain the main operating principles of our system. Also, we will provide experimental results which demonstrate the good performance and the efficiency of this system. This innovation is different from what has been proposed in previous studies. The important points of this system are maximum output energy and minimum energy consumption of solar tracker, its cost is relatively low with simplicity in implementation. The average power increase produced by using the tracking system for a particular day, is over 30% compared with the static panel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the mechanisms of efficiency losses that have to do with the non-uniformity of the irradiance over the multi-junction solar cells and different measurement techniques used to investigate them. To show the capabilities of the presented techniques, three different concentrators (that consist of an acrylic Fresnel lens, different SOEs and a lattice matched multi-junction cell) are evaluated. By employing these techniques is possible to answer some critical questions when designing concentrators as for example which degree of non-uniformity the cell can withstand, how critical the influence of series resistance is, or what kind of non-uniformity (spatial or spectral) causes more losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CPV systems using 3-junction solar cells have proven good performance and reliability. As the performance of 3-junction cells is saturating [1], the logical next step is the introduction of 4-junction (4-J) solar cells into CPV modules. The current world record for cell efficiency under concentrated light of 46.0% was achieved using a wafer bonded Soitec 4-J cell (SmartCellTM) [1-4]. This paper discusses a new module design, optimized for harvesting the full potential provided by this high cell efficiency. Prototype modules have been built in order to explore the design space. A module efficiency of 38.9% under concentrator standard test conditions has been achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High concentrator photovoltaic (HCPV) modules and systems are affected by changes on the incident solar spectrum. It is well known that among all the atmospheric parameters, the air mass has the largest impact on the spectral behavior of HCPV devices. The air mass can be considered as a geometrical parameter which depends entirely on the Sun's zenith angle. Because of this, the yield of HCPV modules is affected by latitude. In this paper, a new method to estimate the gains/losses of energy due to the spectral impact has been introduced. Furthermore, the annual spectral losses depending on latitude have been calculated for several theoretical modules. For default values defined in the standard AM1.5d ASTM G-173-03 spectrum, results show that the spectral losses are almost independent of latitude for locations with low latitude values. Losses between 3% and 5% on the annual energy yield have been estimated for those areas. For high latitudes, the losses increase until they reach values between 10% and 14%. Results depend on the multijunction solar cells and optical devices of the HCPV module considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been known for a long time that the precise characterization of multi-junction solar cells demands spectrally tunable solar simulators. The calibration of innovative multi-junction solar cells for CPV applications now requires tunable solar simulators which provide high irradiation levels. This paper describes the commissioning and calibration of a flash-based four-lamp simulator to be used for the measurement of multi-junction solar cells with up to four subcells under concentrated light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transfer-printing is an important, commercial technology for manufacturing state of the art CPV modules, and has emerged recently as a key enabling technology for the realization of ultra-high-efficiency, mechanically stacked III-V solar cells with low cost. This paper presents the latest results for microscale CPV cells grown on GaAs, InP and GaSb substrates for ultra-high-efficiency, four-terminal, mechanically stacked architectures. The latest findings from a combination of modeling, growth, processing and characterization of single and multijunction solar cells are described, and the roadmap to the long-term goal of using transfer-printing to produce the first solar cell with 50% conversion efficiency is outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is technically and economically reliable alternative to the p-n junction photovoltaic devices. Recently, the energy conversion efficiency of DSSC has been reported to improve a lot using nanoporous electrode. Numerical modeling is effective strategies for depth understanding of the working mechanism of a solar cell. This paper illustrates the optimization of current density versus voltage (J-V) outcomes using MATLAB by varying the different physical parameter of DSSC like temperature (T), intensity(I), absorption coefficient (α) and thickness of electrode (d) in modeled simulation equation. Second order differential simulation equation has been used in present study for measurement of performance curve of Dye-sensitized solar cell. The current density versus voltage (J-V) curve for DSSC has also been calculated numerically using the internal variable such as diffusion coefficient (D), diffusion length (L), initial concentration of electrons (n0) and thickness of electrode (t). The current density versus voltage (J-V) curve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil fuels constitute nearly 80% of the total energy, which has consumed in our daily domestic chores and industries. Approximately 1% of energy use comes from solar radiations. Unlike conventional sources, solar radiations produce no harmful emission that pollutes the environment. A Solar Shed containing solar panel has designed under the program of Engineering Projects In Community Services (EPICS) in Chitkara University to utilize solar energy. A solar panel is a device which results in the conversion of solar energy to electrical energy which is stored in a battery and can be used to glow LED. Arduino and LDR sensors are used to restrict the supply of energy for glow LED only in the night. The overall aim of the device is to promote the usage of solar energy rather than using fossil fuel energy which pollutes the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bifacial solar cell, in contrast with a conventional monofacial solar cell, produces photo-generated current from both front and back sides. Bifacial solar cell is an attractive candidate for enhancing photovoltaic (PV) market competitiveness as well as supporting the current efforts to increase efficiency and lower material costs. This paper reports on the fabrication of bifacial solar cells using phosphorus-oxytrichloride (POCl3) emitter formation on p-type, nanotextured silicon (Si) wafer. Backside surface field was formed through Al-diffusion using conventional screen-printing process. Bifacial solar cells with a structure of n+pp+ with and without back surface field (BSF) were fabricated in which silicon nitride (SiN) anti reflection and passivation films were coated on both sides, followed by screen printing of Argentum (Ag) and Argentum/Aluminum (Ag/Al) on front and back contacts, respectively. Bifacial solar cells without BSF exhibited open circuit voltage (VOC) of 535 mV for front and 480 mV for back surface. With Al-alloyed BSF bifacial solar cells, the VOC improved to 580 mV for the front surface and 560 mV for the back surface. Simulation of bifacial solar cells using PC1D and AFORS software demonstrated good agreement with experimental results. Simulations showed that best bifacial solar cells are achieved through a combination of high lifetime wafer, low recombination back surface field, reduced contact resistance, and superior surface passivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the benefits of using patterned ion implantation to create higher efficiency selective emitter solar cells. This doping approach uses in-situ masking to enable selective doping of the contact and field regions of the emitter in a single step. The cell efficiency benefits of implantation versus current POCl3 diffusion processes are also explained, highlighting the improved junction quality, the ability to perform single side doping and the elimination of a junction isolation step which reduces cell efficiency. The implanted selective emitter solar cell process described reduces cell cost per watt through a combination of higher cell efficiency, improved cell binning and fewer process steps. Alignment between the doped regions of the solar cell and the subsequent downstream metallization process is key to enabling this process for adoption in PV manufacturing. The benefits for process integration of the implanted process will be described including the ability to optically align to the selectively implanted contact regions without additional alignment fiducial marks on the front of the cell. Experimental data yielding cell efficiencies of >19% are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last few years, the use of Renewable Energy (RE) has increased widely, and many projects were focusing on increasing the renewable energy efficiency and decreasing the usage of other resources (nonrenewable) such as fossil fuel that affect greatly our environment. The hybrid wind-solar power system is one of renewable energy (RE) applications and energy savings. Moreover, the current status and the future potentials of renewable energy in Saudi Arabia for vision "2030" are seeking for clean energy, and the proposed work falls in the same goal where the system arrangement of combining the power harnessed from both the wind - solar and stored in a cell (battery) can be a much more reliable power source. The load can still be powered using the stored energy inside the cells even when there is no sun or wind. Specifically, the paper describes the hybrid wind-solar prototype design and implementation. Actually, it is implanted in Effat University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to supply a target load of 200 Watts up to 550 Watts. Some experimental test results are also presented. This study is the outreach and dissemination of renewable energy technologies on Effat University campus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last few years, the use of Renewable Energy (RE) has increased widely, and many projects were focusing on increasing the renewable energy efficiency and decreasing the usage of other resources (nonrenewable) such as fossil fuel that affect greatly our environment. The hybrid wind-solar power system is one of renewable energy (RE) applications and energy savings. Moreover, the current status and the future potentials of renewable energy in Saudi Arabia for vision "2030" are seeking for clean energy, and the proposed work falls in the same goal where the system arrangement of combining the power harnessed from both the wind - solar and stored in a cell (battery) can be a much more reliable power source. The load can still be powered using the stored energy inside the cells even when there is no sun or wind. Specifically, the paper describes the hybrid wind-solar prototype design and implementation. Actually, it is implanted in Effat University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to supply a target load of 200 Watts up to 550 Watts. Some experimental test results are also presented. This study is the outreach and dissemination of renewable energy technologies on Effat University campus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of using renewable sources such as solar power has gained greater impact. Solar energy is converted into voltage with the assist of pv (photovoltaic) cells. The photovoltaic module is capable of generating electric DC power, when the panel is exposed to sunlight. The pv (photovoltaic) effect is the basic process by which a pv cell converts light energy directly into electrical energy. A solar inverter or pv (photovoltaic) inverter converts variable DC output of the solar panel into a utility frequency AC. This energy is stored in batteries during daytime for the operation purpose whenever needed. A solar inverter is a common inverter but uses energy coming from the sun which is known as solar energy. This inverter feed the output power to the electricity grid by corresponding frequency. The frequency range in India is 50Hz and the frequency range in North America is 60Hz of the output AC power. The proposed system is intended to make use of solar energy for 160W load using an inverter. This type of solar inverter helps in changing the DC output of solar panel into AC power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report the photovoltaic response of the solution processed DBPYM: PCBM bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell. The BHJ showed power conversion efficiency (PCE) up to 2.11 %. The PCE has been further improved up to 2.93 % after thermal annealing of the DBPYM: PCBM layer. The increase in the PCE with the thermally annealed blend is mainly attributed to the improvement in incident photon to current efficiency (IPCE) and short circuit photocurrent (Jsc). Thermal annealing leads to an increase in both the crystallinity of the blend and hole mobility, which improves the PCE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the exergoeconomic analysis of a 130 Watt-peak (Wp) solar photovoltaic (PV) panel that is constructed at the top of Engineering Faculty of Karabuk University (41.12 N, 32.39 W) in Karabuk province, Turkey. It is known that seasonal differences cause a variation in the exergoeconomic parameters (energy and exergy loss rates) of solar PV systems. Due to this perspective, for regional climatic parameters four days in November are selected. Within this research, first the exergy analysis is performed on the system and then the economic values of the results are evaluated using the exergy, cost, energy, and mass method. The energy efficiency of the considered system in November varies between 9,6% and 17,1%, respectively. Additionally, the exergy efficiency of the system in November varies between 9,2% and 15,8% respectively. The average unit cost of the exergy values for November are calculated based on the model as 0.191 W/$ and 0.392 W/$ which are the minimum and maximum rates, respectively. Moreover, the average unit cost of the energy values for selected days are estimated as 0.175 W/$ and 0.326 W/$, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The important aspect in solar photovoltaic (SPV) design is to extract maximum power generated from SPV system. Considering all factors associated with power loss for this system, Partial Shading Conditions (PSC) play a major role. PSC is phenomenon, which causes non-uniform irradiance on solar photovoltaic arrays due to various reasons such as nearby buildings, moving object etc. Further it impacts on reduction in power generation from SPV system. The power loss due to PSC of SPV system has been accepted as a major challenging concern, as user and consumer are losing their interest in these systems. In order to mitigate this concern, various methods have been reported in literature, which includes reconfiguration of SPV array. The existing various common solar module configurations mentioned in literature are Bridge Linked, Series Parallel, Total Cross Tied, and Honeycomb. These configurations techniques are implemented to improve the output energy and power efficiency of SPV. The current study is aimed to present a comparison of these fours configuration in terms of their power and voltage output. Simulated models are used to analyze the effect of commonly occurred seven various partial shading conditions. The results of current study are shown as a power verses voltage (PV) curves of 4×4 array of SPV. The performance study is carried out by comparing the maximum power generated (MPP). The results obtained by simulation of modules and its theoretical results ensure the effective implementation of these techniques in hardware setup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One limitation of solar panels as a high potential renewable energy is the efficiency decrease due to surface temperature increase of solar panels during the day. To overcome these problems a hybrid solar panel was developed, using a combination of photovoltaic (PV) and thermoelectric generator (TEG) modules. The developed prototype composed of 17cm x 11cm of solar panel, a SP1848-27145 Thermoelectric generator (TEG), heatsink, INA219 sensor, two units of DS18B20 temperature sensor, and Arduino Uno R3 microcontroller as a control system. Through sensor characterizations are obtained, that maximum relative error of voltage, current, and temperatures are 2.48%, 2.52%, 2.85%, and 2.75%, respectively. Whereas TEG has a power increasing rate of 1,015 mW/0C. Data acquisition of prototype was carried out in South Tangerang. The highest power produced by the hybrid solar panel of 847,26 mW is obtained at 12:15. The TEG's additional increase the output power of hybrid solar panels by 5,45%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solar power is quickly gaining significance since an energy reserve as fossil oil costs vary. With ordinary fixed solar panel we can't get maximum utilization of sun radiation that is why we are using a single axis solar tracking system which will continuously track the sun radiation, so that the angle of incident of solar radiation with the solar panel should always perpendicular to get maximum efficiency of solar incident radiation. The daylight dependent resistors carry out the work of sensing the vary in the location of the sun, that is dealing with the particular modify in the solar plate location by switching on and off the motor. The direct circuit does the work of supply the input from the sensor also gives demand towards the motor to run during order to attempt the modify in the sun's position. It has been found that the solar tracking system can gather about 17.72% extra power than fixed panel structure and thus more effectiveness are achieved through this mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the procedure proposed by IES-UPM to measure the optical efficiency and the irradiance of the focused spot of a primary optic for concentrator PV (CPV). The method using a broadband source (solar simulator) with a solar cell as the sensor and analysis of the focused spot recorded by a camera is described in detail here to convey the details of the optical characterization in the emerging IEC 62989 technical specification. Special emphasis is placed in noting the main sources of error and the accuracy of the measurement method. As an example, the main outcomes attained in the characterization of a set of Fresnel lenses are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work a direct conversion of sunlight with an efficiency of 43.4% is demonstrated with a CPV mini-module. The mini-module consists of an achromatic full-glass lens and a wafer-bonded four-junction solar cell mounted to a heat sink. The 43.4% efficiency was determined at IEC 62630-1 concentrator standard test conditions. The electrical characteristic of the full-glass lens mini-module was compared to a mini-module using a Fresnel lens. The Fresnel lens mini-module is affected by chromatic aberration whereas the impact of chromatic aberration on the full-glass lens mini-module is negligible. The measurement data gathered from the mini-modules is compared to a calculation performed with a combined ray tracing and network model. The comparison of model and simulation shows a good agreement. The simulation is used to demonstrate the series resistance losses due to lateral current flows caused by chromatic aberration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we look at a micro-concentrating system adapted to a new type of concentrator photovoltaic material, well known for flate-plate applications, Cu(In,Ga)Se2. Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells are polycrystalline thin film devices that can be deposited by a variety of techniques. We proposed to use a microcell architecture [1], [2], with lateral dimensions varying from a few µm to hundreds of µm, to adapt the film cell to concentration conditions. A 5% absolute efficiency increase on Cu(In,Ga)Se2 microcells at 475 suns has been observed for a final efficiency of 21.3%[3]. We study micro-concentrating systems adapted to the low and middle concentration range, where thin film concentrator cells will lean to substrate fabrication simplification and cost savings. Our study includes optical design, fabrication and experimental tests of prototypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The annual energy conversion efficiency is calculated for a four junction inverted metamorphic solar cell that has been completely characterized in the laboratory at room temperature using measurements fit to a comprehensive optoelectronic model of the multijunction solar cells. A simple model of the temperature dependence is used predict the performance of the solar cell under varying temperature and spectra characteristic of Golden, CO for an entire year. The annual energy conversion efficiency is calculated by integrating the predicted cell performance over the entire year. The effects of geometric concentration, CPV system thermal characteristics, and luminescent coupling are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present our efforts to design the FIrst Visible Light Sensing (VLS) system that consumes only tens of μWs of power to sense and communicate. Our system requires no modification to the existing light infrastructure and uses unmodulated ambient light as sensing medium. We achieve this by designing a sensing mechanism that uses solar cells to achieve sub-μWs of power consumption. Further, we devise an ultra-low power backscatter based transmission mechanism we call Scatterlight that transmits digital readings without incurring the processing and computation overhead of existing sensors. Based on these principles we build a preliminary prototype. Our initial results demonstrate its ability to sense and communicate three hand gestures at 20 μWs of power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we have conducted numerical simulations to design the device contact pattern for the optimized performance of InGaN p-i-n solar cells. GaN/InGaN p-i-n solar cell studied with two different contact patterns, with grid pattern and without grid pattern. Solar characteristic parameters for both geometries are simulated with 1 × 1 mm2 device areas while varying grid spacing and number of grids. An improved efficiency from 4.16 % to 6.34 % is observed with grid pattern and with optimized grid spacing of 225 microns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have fabricated solution processed bulk heterojuction (BHJ) solar cell from small molecule (SM) as donor blended with PCBM as an acceptor. The BHJ showed power conversion efficiency (PCE) up to 2.80%. The PCE has been further improved up to 3.80 % after thermal annealing of the SM: PCBM layer. The higher PCE of the photovoltaic devices based on the thermal annealed SM: PCBM blend as compared to SM: PCBM blend is attributed to the increase in the crystalline nature of the blend and hole mobility. The thermal annealing allows not only a broad absorption but also tuning of the inter energy level leading to a higher short circuit current (Jsc) and open circuit voltage (Voc). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]