Solar Cell

• Solar cell is a photovoltaic device that converts the light energy into electrical
energy based on the principles of photovoltaic effect.

Photovoltaic effect:

• The photovoltaic (PV) effect is the basis of the conversion of light to electricity in
photovoltaic, or solar, cells.
• Described simply, the PV effect is as follows: Light, which is pure energy, enters a
PV cell and imparts enough energy to some electrons (negatively charged
atomic particles) to free them.
• A built-in-potential barrier in the cell acts on these electrons to produce a
voltage (the so-called photovoltage), which can be used to drive a current
through a circuit.
Solar Cell
 Solar Cell
Advantages of Solar PV: Disadvantages of Solar PV:
• can be used for either
distributed power generation. centralized or • High cost.

• PV systems have no moving part. • More surface area requirement.

• Energy independence and environmental • Efficiency depends upon availability

compatible. of sunlight.

• The fuel (sunlight) is free, and no noise or

pollution is created from operating PV systems.

• minimal maintenance and have long service

lifetime.
 Photovoltaic Cell

A PV cell can be either circular in construction or square.

Cells are arranged in a frame to form a module. Modules put

together form a panel.

Panels form an array.
 Photovoltaic Cell

Based on the manufacturing process they are classified as:

Poly crystalline: efficiency of 12%.

Amorphous: efficiency of 6-8% .

Life of crystalline cells is in the range of 25 years where as for
amorphous cells it is in the range of 5 years.

PV module PV panel Array

 Solar Cell
Cells, Modules, Array [5]
• Photovoltaic cells are connected electrically in
series and/or parallel circuits to produce higher
voltages, currents and power levels.

• Photovoltaic modules consist of PV cell circuits

and are the fundamental building blocks of PV
systems. Photovoltaic panels include one or more
PV modules assembled as a pre-wired, field-
installable unit.
• A photovoltaic array is the complete power-
generating unit, consisting of any number of PV
modules and panels.

Fig.5: Cells, Modules, Array

 Photovoltaic Cell

Current Current

Vo l t a g e Vo l t a g e

Constant voltage source Constant current source

Current

Vo l t a g e

C h a r a c te ris tics o f p h o t o v o l t a i c cell

Solar Cell Characteristics

Fig. 11: Solar V-I and P-V characteristics

•ISC = short-circuit current – The maximum current provided by the PV array when the output
connectors are shorted together, A.
Voc- Open circuit voltage, V
Vmp- Voltage corresponds to the Pm (Maximum power)
Imp- Current corresponds to the Pm

•MPP = maximum power point = Imp x Vmp. Watts (W) or peak Watts (Wp)

•FF = fill factor – (Vmp*Imp)/(Voc*Isc).

Lies between 0.7 to 0.8 closer the fill factor is to 1 (unity), the more power the array can
provide.

•%eff = percent efficiency – The efficiency of a photovoltaic array is the ratio between the
maximum electrical power that the array can produce compared to the amount of solar
irradiance hitting the array. The efficiency-10-12%
Symbol of PV cell:

+
I

_
 Temperature Effect
 The parameter most affected by an increase in temperature is the open-circuit
voltage.

 The open-circuit voltage decreases with increase in temperature.

 Irradiance Effect
 The parameter most affected by an increase in irradiance is
the short-circuit current.
 The short-circuit current increase with increase in irradiance.
 Rating of solar panels

Manufacturer Tata power solar

system ltd.
Model no. TS230MBT
Pm (W) 230
Vm (V) 29.1
Im (A) 7.9
Voc (V) 36.7
Isc (A) 8.4
Impact of solar irradiances change
Where as irradiation is the The term Irradiance is defined as the measure of power
measure of energy density of density of sunlight received at a location on the earth and
sunlight . is measured in watt per metre square.

I-V Curve P-V Curve