Characterization of five CPV module technologies with the Helios 3198 solar simulator

This paper presents the characterization of five different concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) module technologies carried out with the Helios 3198 solar simulator at IES-UPM. The current-voltage characteristics under Standard Reporting Conditions and the angular transmission curve have been measured for every technology. These parameters are also measured outdoors and then corrected to indoor conditions in order to compare them and demonstrate the validity of the indoor measurement. A new kind of light sensor is proposed for the solar simulator: a single lens-cell assembly of the same technology as the module to be measured, or monomodule, which accounts for the irradiance, spectral and temperature differences. Component (‘isotype’) cells are used alongside this sensor for assuring standard light spectrum indoors.