The Effect of Spectrum Variation on the Energy Production of Triple-Junction Solar Cells

We analyze the energy production of a current-matched, two-terminal triple-junction solar cell under different spectrum conditions. We compare this energy production with that of a separate-terminal three subcell system. Under real-spectrum conditions, the energy loss of the two-terminal system can be greater than 9% because of the current mismatch that frequently occurs in real meteorological conditions. The quantitative analysis of energy production between two-terminal and separate-terminal triple-junction solar cells opens up important opportunities in the design and optimization of concentration photovoltaic solar cells and modules.