Solar Energy Conversion and the Shockley-Queisser Model, a Guide for the Perplexed

TL;DR

This paper clarifies the Shockley-Queisser model for solar energy conversion, emphasizing its assumptions and providing metrics to evaluate real solar cells against the idealized model.

Contribution

It offers a comprehensive guide to understanding the model's assumptions and introduces figures of merit to assess real solar cell performance relative to the ideal.

Findings

Clarifies common misunderstandings of the Shockley-Queisser model

Defines figures of merit for each model assumption

Provides a framework to evaluate real solar cells against the ideal

Abstract

The Shockley-Queisser model is a landmark in photovoltaic device analysis by defining an ideal situation as reference for actual solar cells. However, the model and its implications are easily misunderstood. Thus, we present a guide to help understand and avoid misinterpreting it. Focusing on the five assumptions, underlying the model, we define figures of merit to quantify how close real solar cells approach each of these assumptions.