Photovoltaic Power Generation in the Stellar Environments

TL;DR

This paper explores the feasibility of photovoltaic power generation near various types of stars, analyzing how current solar cell technology can be adapted for different stellar environments, including binary systems.

Contribution

It provides an assessment of solar cell applicability in stellar habitable zones and discusses potential adaptations for different star types and binary systems.

Findings

Silicon solar cells with good IR response are suitable for M-type star environments.

Current space solar cell technology can be used near G, K, and M stars.

Photovoltaic power generation near binary stars like Sirius and Alpha Centauri is feasible.

Abstract

In this paper we have studied the problem of photovoltaic power generation near selected stars in the solar neighborhood. The nature of the optical radiation from a star will depend on its luminosity,HR classification and spectral characteristics. The solar celloperation in the habitable zones of the stars is similar to AM1.0 operation near earth.Thecurrent space solar cell technology can be adopted for power generation near G,K and Mtype stars. Silicon solar cells with good near IR response are particularly suitable in theenvironments of M type stars which are most abundant in the universe. . Photovoltaicpower generation near binary stars like Sirius and Alpha Centauri is also discussed.