Outdoor performance monitoring of perovskite solar cell mini-modules: Diurnal performance, observance of reversible degradation and variation with climatic performance

• Published in: Solar energy 2018-08, Vol.170, p.549-556
• Main Authors: Stoichkov, V., Bristow, N, Troughton, J., De Rossi, F., Watson, T.M., Kettle, J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorbers; Light effects; Modules; Monitoring; Outdoor monitoring; Perovskite; Perovskite solar cell; Perovskites; Photovoltaic cells; Positive temperature coefficient; PSC temperature coefficient; Solar cells; Solar energy; Studies; Temperature; Temperature effects
• ISSN: 0038-092X; 1471-1257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2018.05.086

•Performance of PSCs benchmarked against pc-Si.•Temperature and Ross coefficient reported for PSC modules.•In-depth study of reversible degradation. The outdoor performance monitoring of two types of perovskite solar cell (PSC) mini-modules based on two different absorbers - CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPI) and Cs0.05FA0.83MA0.17PbI(0.87Br0.13)3 (FMC) is reported. PSC modules displayed markedly different outdoor performance characteristics to other PV technologies owing to the reversible diurnal changes in efficiency, difference in temperature coefficient between absorber layers and response under low light conditions. Examination of diurnal performance parameters on a sunny day showed that whereas the FMC modules maintained their efficiency throughout the day, the MAPI modules peaked in performance during the morning and afternoon, with a strong decrease around midday. Overall, the MAPI modules showed a strongly negative temperature coefficient (TC) for PCE, whereas the FMC modules showed a moderate positive temperature coefficient performance as a function of temperature due to the increase in JSC and FF. Outdoor monitoring of the MAPI modules over several days highlighted that the reduced over the course of the day but recovered overnight. In contrast the FMC modules improved slightly during the daytime although this was too reversed overnight. This paper provides insight into how PSC modules perform under real-life conditions and consider some of the unique characteristics that are observed in this solar cell technology.