Schematic of photovoltaic performance prediction model. Source: MIT

Will a solar cell perform as well in temperate as in tropical regions? A tool that predicts solar cell output at any site worldwide, based on the convergence of location and technology, was developed by MIT researchers.

The field performance of photovoltaic modules is calculated from local climatic conditions using open-source satellite data as model input. The predictive model was used to determine differences in performance of two solar cell technologies with different band gaps, cadmium telluride and silicon, for two locations in different climate zones.

CdTe solar cells were shown to produce up to 6 percent more energy than Si systems in a hot, humid site in Singapore relative to the more temperate climate of Perrysburg, Ohio. Similar trends are expected for other materials with a higher electronic band gap like gallium arsenide or metal-halide perovskites.

Users will be able to download the online tool and then plug in their own locations and performance information for different types of solar cells. This allows users to determine either where their solar cell would work best or what type of solar cell they should use in their location.

The research is published in the journal Joule.