This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the thermal issues in
photovoltaics. It also offers an extensive overview of the physics
involved and insights into possible thermal optimizations of the
different photovoltaic device technologies.In general, temperature
negatively affects the efficiency of photovoltaic devices. The first
chapter describes the temperature-induced losses in photovoltaic devices
and reviews the strategies to overcome them. The second chapter
introduces the concept of temperature coefficient, the underlying
physics and some guidelines for reducing their negative impacts.
Subsequent chapters offer a comprehensive and general thermal model of
photovoltaic devices, and review how current and emerging technologies,
mainly solar cells but also thermophotovoltaic devices, can benefit from
thermal optimizations.Throughout the book, the authors argue that the
energy yield of photovoltaic devices can be optimized by taking their
thermal behavior and operating conditions into consideration in their
design.