Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026
09:09
Asymmetric Thermoelectrochemical Cell for Harvesting Low-grade Heat under Isothermal Operation
Published on: February 5, 2020
Load-resilient shingled photovoltaic module for field-scale thermoelectric coupling.
Kyuhyeon Im1,2,3, Sungeun Park1, Yong Jun Kim4
1Photovoltaics Research Department, Korea Institute of Energy Research, Daejeon, 34129, South Korea.
Scientific Reports
|June 13, 2026
Summary
Integrating solar cells with thermoelectric generators (TEGs) can enhance power output by reclaiming waste heat. A novel shingled photovoltaic (PV) module design minimizes power loss from high TEG resistance, enabling efficient PV-TEG coupling.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Energy Science
- Electrical Engineering
Background:
- Photovoltaic (PV) solar cells generate waste heat, reducing power output.
- Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) can reclaim this waste heat to enhance power generation.
- High TEG resistance (RTEG) significantly increases series resistance and power loss in PV-TEG systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate a method for reducing the impact of RTEG in field-scale PV-TEG coupling.
- To develop a load-resilient PV module configuration suitable for PV-TEG integration.
- To enable efficient waste heat reclamation and enhance overall power output in solar energy systems.
Main Methods:
- Investigated PV operation at low current and high voltage to mitigate RTEG effects.
- Developed and tested a shingled PV module configuration with series-connected, narrow strip solar cells.
- Quantified power loss and output for a 14-strip shingled PV-TEG module.
Main Results:
- Low-current, high-voltage PV operation effectively reduces the impact of RTEG.
- The shingled PV module configuration achieved lower current and higher voltage compared to uncut cells.
- A 14-strip shingled module demonstrated field-scale PV-TEG coupling (170 cm2) with 3.27 W output and only 0.043% power loss (Ploss).
Conclusions:
- Shingled PV module configuration offers a versatile solution for high RTEG in PV-TEG systems.
- This approach is applicable to various solar cell types, including organic, perovskite, and tandem cells.
- The study provides a pathway for reliable, field-scale PV-TEG coupling with enhanced power output.
Related Concept Videos
01:11P-N junction
A p-n junction is formed when p-type and n-type semiconductor materials are joined together. At the interface of the p-n junction, holes from the p-side and electrons from the n-side begin to diffuse into the opposite sides due to the concentration gradient. This diffusion of carriers leads to a region around the junction where there are no free charge carriers, known as the depletion region. The charge density within the depletion region for the n-side and p-side can be described by the...
02:47Voltaic/Galvanic Cells
Spontaneous Chemical Reactions
Spontaneous redox reactions occur abundantly in nature. The chemical reaction occurring in a disposable AA battery powering our remote controls is one such example of a spontaneous redox reaction. Another example is the immersion of coiled copper wire into an aqueous silver nitrate solution. The reaction shows a gradual, visually impressive color change from colorless to bright blue and the formation of a grey precipitate on the copper wire. In this experiment,...
Spontaneous redox reactions occur abundantly in nature. The chemical reaction occurring in a disposable AA battery powering our remote controls is one such example of a spontaneous redox reaction. Another example is the immersion of coiled copper wire into an aqueous silver nitrate solution. The reaction shows a gradual, visually impressive color change from colorless to bright blue and the formation of a grey precipitate on the copper wire. In this experiment,...
01:27Schottky Barrier Diode
Schottky barrier diodes are specialized semiconductor devices characterized by their unique construction. This construction involves combining a metal layer with a moderately doped n-type semiconductor material. This combination leads to the formation of a Schottky barrier, a pivotal element that defines the diode's operational characteristics. The core functionality of Schottky barrier diodes is their capacity to allow current to flow in only one direction due to their distinctive...
01:27Induced Electric Fields: Applications
An important distinction exists between the electric field induced by a changing magnetic field and the electrostatic field produced by a fixed charge distribution. Specifically, the induced electric field is nonconservative because it does not work in moving a charge over a closed path. In contrast, the electrostatic field is conservative and does no net work over a closed path. Hence, electric potential can be associated with the electrostatic field but not the induced field. The following...