Booster reflectors for PV modules in Sweden

✍ Scribed by Mats Rönnelid; Björn Karlsson; Peter Krohn; Johan Wennerberg

• Book ID: 101355878
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2000
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 498 KB
• Volume: 8
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1062-7995
• DOI: 10.1002/1099-159x(200005/06)8:3<279::aid-pip316>3.0.co;2-#

✦ Synopsis

The performance of photovoltaic modules with planar booster re¯ectors with variable length and tilts for Swedish conditions is analysed. It is shown that a stationary ¯at booster re¯ector can increase the annual output of the module in the order of 20±25%, provided that the in¯uence of short lateral length of the re¯ector and temperature rise can be limited. The principal dierence between using modules with crystalline silicon cells or thin ®lm modules is discussed and numerical examples together with experimental results are given. The electrical coupling of rows in a PV module and/or the electrical coupling of modules in a PV installation are important when booster re¯ectors are used. If horizontal rows of cells in a module are parallel coupled, the module better utilises radiation re¯ected from a booster re¯ector in front than if the rows are coupled in series. Low serial resistance, low module temperature and small edge eects, i.e. not too short lateral length of the booster re¯ector, are important to achieve good performance of modules with booster re¯ectors.