Interlaboratory comparison of short-circuit current versus irradiance linearity measurements of photovoltaic devices

Abstract

This work presents the results of the first interlaboratory comparison of linearity measurements of short-circuit current versus irradiance that includes a wide variety of photovoltaic (PV) device types, from reference cells to full-size modules. The aim of this inter-comparison was to compare the methods employed and to collect new inputs useful for the revision of the standard IEC 60904-10, which deals with linearity measurements for PV devices. The procedures and facilities employed by the partners include the differential spectral responsivity, the white light response, the solar simulator method and the two-lamp method. The facilities are generically described and compared and their main sources of uncertainty are discussed. Comparison results show good agreement within declared uncertainties between all partners. A few minor exceptions under low-light conditions raise questions of possible uncertainty underestimation for these specific conditions. The overall outcome of the comparison also highlights the importance of considering correlations in the uncertainty budget, which can potentially improve the overall stated uncertainty. A critical review is made of the data analysis adopted in the standard IEC 60904-10 to calculate the linearity degree of the short-circuit current towards irradiance. The analysis review suggests a way to make results based on different methods more comparable and less prone to erroneous linearity assessment.