Influence of Ti Layers on the Efficiency of Solar Cells and the Reduction of Heat Transfer in Building-Integrated Photovoltaics

Paweł Kwaśnicki (), Dariusz Augustowski, Agnieszka Generowicz () and Anna Kochanek
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Paweł Kwaśnicki: Research & Development Centre for Photovoltaics, ML System S.A., Zaczernie 190G, 36-062 Zaczernie, Poland
Dariusz Augustowski: Research & Development Centre for Photovoltaics, ML System S.A., Zaczernie 190G, 36-062 Zaczernie, Poland
Agnieszka Generowicz: Department of Environmental Technologies, Cracow University of Technology, 31-155 Kraków, Poland
Anna Kochanek: Faculty of Engineering, State University of Applied Sciences in Nowy Sącz, 33-300 Nowy Sącz, Poland

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-13

Abstract: This study examined the potential application of metallic coatings to mitigate the adverse effects of ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) light on photovoltaic modules. Titanium coatings were applied on low-iron glass surfaces using magnetron sputtering at powers of 1000, 1250, 1500, 1750, 2000, and 2500 W. The module with uncoated glass served as a reference. The Ti layer thickness varied from 7 nm to 20 nm. Transmittance and reflectance spectra were used to calculate visible light transmittance L t , UV light transmittance L tuv , solar transmittance g , and visible light reflectance L r . The obtained parameters indicated that the thinnest Ti layer (1000 W) coating did not significantly affect light transmittance, but thicker layers did, altering the L t , g , and L r factors. However, every sample noticeably changed L tuv , probably due to the natural formation of a UV-reflective thin TiO 2 layer. The differences in fill factor ( FF ) were minimal, but thicker coatings resulted in lower open-circuit voltages ( U oc ) and short-circuit currents ( I sc ), leading to a reduction in power conversion efficiency ( PCE ). Notably, a Ti coating deposited at 2500 W reduced the power of the photovoltaic module by 78% compared to the uncoated sample but may protect modules against the unwanted effects of overheating.

Keywords: titanium coating; solar cell; physical vapour deposition; magnetron sputtering; photovoltaics; building-integrated photovoltaic; solar module (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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