Pathways for mitigating thermal losses in solar photovoltaics

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Energy Science
• Physics

Background:

• Solar photovoltaic (PV) devices suffer from optical, electrical, and thermal losses.
• Reducing optical and electrical losses is becoming prohibitively expensive.
• Thermal losses, leading to reduced power output and accelerated aging above 25°C, are a critical area for improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the impact of various strategies for mitigating thermal losses in crystalline silicon solar PV technology.
• To identify the most effective methods for reducing thermal-related performance degradation.
• To provide a generalizable method for evaluating thermal loss mitigation in any PV technology.

Main Methods:

• Quantification of thermal loss mitigation strategies.
• Analysis focused on crystalline silicon solar PV.
• Evaluation of conductive/convective cooling, sub-bandgap reflection, and radiative cooling.

Main Results:

• Conductive and convective cooling capabilities are crucial for thermal loss mitigation.
• Sub-bandgap reflection and radiative cooling show significant promise for reducing thermal losses.
• The proposed methodology is applicable across different PV technologies.

Conclusions:

• Effective thermal management is vital for optimizing solar PV performance and lifespan.
• Further research and real-world testing of sub-bandgap reflection and radiative cooling are recommended.
• The developed framework can guide future research in minimizing thermal losses in solar energy.