Small scale optimization in crystalline silicon solar cell on efficiency enhancement of low-concentrating photovoltaic cell.

• A low-concentration PV module with different finger numbers is established. • The optimal number of fingers is determined. • Three low-concentration PV modules with different fingers spacing are established. • The optimal finger spacing is determined. • The influences of shading losses, finger resistance and lateral spreading resistance are analysed. Compared with conventional silicon solar cell, concentrating photovoltaic cell has a higher incident illumination intensity and non-uniform illumination intensity distribution. There is a close relationship between the illumination intensity and the resistance and shading losses of front metal fingers. In this paper, according to the non-uniformity of the illumination distribution formed by the concentrator, the effects of different finger numbers and spacing on the performance of low-concentrating photovoltaic cells were studied. First, low-concentrating photovoltaic cell modules with different finger numbers and spacing were established, and efficiency of these modules was compared to determine the optimal finger numbers and spacing of the front metal fingers. Then, effects of the shading losses, finger resistance and lateral spreading resistance on the performance of the low-concentrating photovoltaic cell were analyzed. Results show that for the specific illumination intensity distribution of the low-concentrating photovoltaic cell when the numbers and spacing of the front metal fingers are optimized, efficiency of the low-concentrating photovoltaic cell can be increased from 13.805% to 13.837%. Additionally, it can be concluded that the optimization of the number and spacing of the front metal fingers in the crystalline silicon solar cell is an efficient way to improve the electrical performance of the concentrating photovoltaic cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]