Models for the electrical characterization of high concentration photovoltaic cells and modules: A review

High concentration photovoltaic technology promises the large-scale generation of clean-renewable energy with competitive costs. Like any other systems for electricity generation, it is important to know the electrical characteristics of the system. However, while there is a wide experience in modeling the behavior of traditional photovoltaic systems, not every model for flat-plate solar cells or modules is directly applicable to high concentration photovoltaic cells or modules because of the special features of these devices (use of multijunction cells, use of optics for high concentration, etc.). So, in recent years, the scientific community has devoted considerable efforts in developing models that reproduce the electrical behavior of high concentration cells and modules. These models allow calculating the main electrical parameters of the device from its operating conditions (irradiance, cell temperature, spectral distribution of the radiation, etc.). In this paper, a comprehensive review of existing models for the electrical characterization of high concentration photovoltaic cells and modules is presented with the aim of helping the photovoltaic professionals and researchers in the design, monitoring and energy prediction tasks. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.