Float, borosilicate and tellurites as cover glasses in Si photovoltaics: optical properties and performances under sunlight

TL;DR

This study compares the optical properties and outdoor performance of solar modules with different cover glasses, highlighting the importance of refractive index in enhancing photovoltaic efficiency.

Contribution

It introduces new prototypes using borosilicate, zinc-tellurite, and doped tellurite glasses as cover materials and evaluates their real-world performance.

Findings

Outdoor measurements are crucial for accurate performance assessment.

Refractive index significantly influences solar module efficiency.

Modified cover glasses can potentially improve photovoltaic device performance.

Abstract

One of the most significant materials in a solar panel is the glass, which provides transparency, UV protection as well as mechanical and chemical resistance. In this work, we describe the production of prototypes of four solar modules made using borosilicate, zinc-tellurite, Pr$^{3+}$ doped zinc-tellurite, and float glass as cover materials. The performance of these prototypes was evaluated under a solar simulator, and a device was developed to monitor all prototypes under real conditions. A comparison between indoor and outdoor measurements shows that outdoor results are fundamental to evaluate the performance of modified solar modules as the ones considered in this study. In addition, we demonstrate the fundamental role played by the refractive index of cover glasses in the performance of the prototypes, and discuss how this feature could be explored to achieve enhanced devices, as well as other benefits that may arise from this field of research.