U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Solar Energy Technologies Program

PV Performance

As researchers develop new types of photovoltaic (PV) cells and modify existing designs, they want to know how the cells perform electrically. Specifically, have the changes made to the cells led to improved characteristics relating to current, voltage, overall power, and the efficiency in converting the sun's energy into electrical energy?

In this section, we will review the basics of two primary classes of measurements conducted on solar cells to determine their performance: current-voltage measurements, and quantum efficiency measurements. We will also briefly discuss performance considerations relating to solar modules and systems.

To learn more about PV physics, see:

• The Photoelectric Effect
• Light and the PV Cell
• The Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell