Thermal and Electrical Characterization of a Semi-Transparent Dye-Sensitized Photovoltaic Module under Real Operating Conditions

Dye-sensitized solar cell technology is having an important role in renewable energy research due to its features and low-cost manufacturing processes. Devices based on this technology appear very well suited for integration into glazing systems due to their characteristics of transparency, color tuning and manufacturing directly on glass substrates. Field data of thermal and electrical characteristics of dye-sensitized solar modules (DSM) are important since they can be used as input of building simulation models for the evaluation of their energy saving potential when integrated into buildings. However, still few studies in the literature provide this information. The study presented here aims to contribute to fill this lack providing a thermal and electrical characterization of a DSM in real operating conditions using a method developed in house. This method uses experimental data coming from test boxes exposed outdoor and dynamic simulation to provide thermal transmittance (U-value) and solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of a DSM prototype. The device exhibits a U-value of 3.6 W/m(2)K, confirmed by an additional measurement carried on in the lab using a heat flux meter, and a SHGC of 0.2, value compliant with literature results. Electrical characterization shows an increase of module power with respect to temperature resulting DSM being suitable for integration in building facades.