Evaluation of Performance of Standard and Umg Multicrystalline Silicon Modules in Outdoor Conditions
- E. Sánchez
- J. Torreblanca
- I. Guerrero
- T. Carballo
- V. Parra García
- R. Ordás
- J. Bullon Camarasa
- V. Hoffmann
- J. Gutiérrez
- S. Ponce-Alcantara
- E. Boillos
- L. Rozas
Publisher: European Commission - DG Joint Research Centre
ISBN: 3-936338-27-2
Year of publication: 2011
Pages: 3657-3660
Congress: Proceedings og the International Conference held in Hamburg, Germany. 5-9 September 2011
Type: Conference paper
Abstract
At present time solar cells made of silicon based on upgraded metallurgical routes (umg-Si) are entering the photovoltaic market and becoming a real option to the standard polysilicon-based (mc-Si) devices. While a lot of research at wafer and cell level has been carried out so far, there is little experience in real operation conditions of PV modules based-on umg-Si feedstock and only a few studies have been published. In this work a comparative study between typical polysilicon and umg-Si based modules, manufactured following exactly the same wafer-to-module procedures and evaluated in outdoor conditions, is presented. The results after one full year of exposition to outdoor conditions show a very similar behavior that leads to a very close energy production for both types of modules. With a lower cost and similar performance, modules made from umg silicon feedstock a ra more economic option and could play an important role in the photovoltaic market.