Effect of Spectral Irradiance Distribution on the Performance of Solar Cells

In this paper, the global and diffuse solar radiation incident on solar cells is simulated using a spectral model SMARTS2, for varying atmospheric conditions on the site of Setif. The effect of changes in total intensity and spectral distribution on the short circuit current and efficiency of different kinds of thin film solar cells (CdTe, nc-Si:H and copper indium gallium selenide, CIGS) is examined. The results show a reduction in the short circuit current due to increasing turbidity. It is 18.82%, 27.06% and 26.80% under global radiation and for CdTe, nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H), and CIGS solar cells, respectively. However it increases under diffuse radiation. Increasing water vapor in the atmosphere leads to a reduction in the short circuit current of 3.15%, 2.38%, and 2.45%, respectively, for CdTe, nc-Si:H, and CIGS cells under global radiation and it is not influenced under diffuse radiation. The performance of the solar cells is notably reduced, both in terms of efficiency and open circuit voltage, with increasing air mass