• Current Photovoltaic Research
• /
• v.7 no.4
• /
• pp.97-102
• /
• 2019

Bifacial and semitransparent hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin-film solar cells in p-i-n configuration were prepared with front and rear transparent conducting oxide (TCO) electrodes using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method. Fluorine-doped tin oxide and tin-doped indium oxide films were used as front and rear TCO contacts, respectively. Film thickness of intrinsic a-Si:H absorber layers were controlled from 150 nm to 450 nm by changing deposition time. The dependence of performance characteristics of solar cells on the front and rear illumination direction were investigated. For front illumination, gradual increase in the short-circuit current density (J_SC) from 10.59 mA/㎠ to 14.19 mA/㎠ was obtained, whereas slight decreases from 0.83 V to 0.81 V for the open-circuit voltage (V_OC) and from 68.43% to 65.75% for fill factor (FF) were observed. The average optical transmittance in the wavelength region of 380 ~ 780 nm of the solar cells decreased gradually from 22.76% to 15.67% as the absorber thickness was changed from 150 nm to 450 nm. In case of the solar cells under rear illumination condition, the J_SC increased from 10.81 to 12.64 mA/㎠ and the FF deceased from 66.63% to 61.85%, while the V_OC values were maintained at 0.80 V with increasing the absorber thickness from 150 nm to 450 nm. By optimizing the deposition parameters, a high-quality bifacial and semitransparent a-Si:H solar cell with 350 nm-thick i-a-Si:H absorber layer exhibited the conversion efficiencies of 7.69% for front illumination and 6.40% for rear illumination, and average visible optical transmittance of 17.20%.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.116-120
• /
• 2022

Solar energy is rapidly being utilized to generate power in Europe and other countries, but the environmental effect of building and operating solar farms is not fully understood. The building of a solar park demands the removal of certain vegetation and the leveling of the land. Solar energy infrastructure may involve considerable landscape change, altering soil biological processes and influencing hydrologic, carbon and vegetative dynamics. To rebuild the solar PV facilities soils, inherent plant fields might require to be re-established. Within the scope of this research, we presented an analysis of the effects that were caused by the solar farm.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.65-70
• /
• 2019

As a demand of higher power photovoltaic modules, shingled, multi-busbar, half-cell, and bifacial techniques are developed. Multi-busbar module has advantage for large amount of light havesting. And, half-cell is high power module for reducing resistive losses and higher shade tolerance. Recently, researches on multi-busbar is focused on reliability according to adhesion and intermetallic compound between Sn-Pb solder and Ag electrode. And half-cell module is researched to comparing with full-sized cell module for structure difference. In this study, we investigated the factors affecting to efficiency and adhesion of multi-wires half-cell module according to wire thickness, solder thickness, and flux. The results of solar simulator and peel test was that peel strength and efficiency of soldered cell is not related. But samples with flux including high solid material showed high efficiency. The results of FE-SEM and EDX line scan on cross-section between wire and Ag electrode for different flux showed thickness of solder joint between wire and Ag electrode is increasing through solid material increasing. Flux including high solid material would affect to solder behavior on Ag electrode. Higher solid material occurred lower growth of IMC layer because solder permeate to sider of wire ribbon than Ag electrode. And it increased fill factor for high efficiency. In soldering process, amount of solid material in flux and solder thickness are the factor related with characteristic of soldered photovoltaic cell.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.56-61
• /
• 2022

Recently, the expansion of the domestic solar market due to the promotion of eco-friendly and alternative energy-related policies is promising, and it is expected to lead the high-efficiency/high-power module market based on M10 or larger cells to reduce LCOE, 540-560W, M12 based on M10 cells Compared to the existing technology with an output of 650-700W based on cells, it is necessary to secure competitiveness through the development of modules with 600W based on M10 cells and 750W based on M12 cells. For the development of high efficiency/high-power n-type bifacial, it is necessary to secure a lightweight technology and structure due to the increase in weight of the glass to glass module according to the large area of the module. Since the mechanical strength characteristics according to the large area and high weight of the module are very important, design values such as a frame of a new structure that can withstand the mechanical load of the Mechanical Load Test and the location of the mounting hole are required. In this study, a structural analysis design model was introduced to secure mechanical reliability according to the enlargement of the module area, and the design model was verified through the mechanical load test of the actual product. It can be used as a design model to secure the mechanical reliability required for PV modules by variables such as module area, frame shape, and the location and quantity of mounting holes of the structural analysis model verified. A relationship of output drop can be obtained.