Radiative cooling boosts solar cell voltage by as much as 25% - Physics World

Solar Cell Array - Photo Courtesy euromet.org

Cheap and simple radiative cooling technologies can significantly increase the performance and lifespan of concentrated photovoltaic systems, according to researchers in the US. They found that a simple radiative cooling structure can increase the voltage produced by the solar cells by around 25%. 

 It also reduced operating temperatures by as much as 36 °C and the scientist claim this could dramatically extend the lifetime of photovoltaic systems. Commercial silicon-based photovoltaic cells convert around 20% of solar irradiation that falls on them into electricity. 

Much of the rest is turned into heat, which must be effectively managed. “Photovoltaic efficiency and lifetimes both decrease as temperature goes up – especially in humid environments,” explains Peter Bermel, an engineer at Purdue University. “The loss in efficiency is fundamental to how photovoltaics work.” 

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  Source: Physics World