Analysis of spectral effects on the energy yield of different PV (photovoltaic) technologies: The case of four specific sites

•Monthly and annual spectral effects on eight different PV (photovoltaic) technologies studied.•Modeled spectra in four sites combined with relative spectral responses.•Measured spectra (12 months) in two sites combined with relative spectral responses.•Higher bandgap technologies: noticeable monthly variations in their spectral gains.•Annual spectral gains keep below 2.2% for all the studied technologies and sites.

This work is aimed at looking into the impact of the solar spectrum distribution on the energy yield of some PV (photovoltaic) materials on both monthly and annual time scales. The relative spectral responses of eight different PV solar cells – representative of each considered technology – have been selected. Modeling solar spectra in four sites located in the north hemisphere together with a 12-month experimental campaign in which spectral irradiances were periodically recorded in two of these sites located in Spain have provided highly interesting results. Regardless of the site, the considered amorphous silicon and cadmium telluride PV cells experience the most noticeable modeled and experimental variations of their monthly spectral gains, whilst flatter seasonal ones are identified in the remaining considered PV technologies. Thus, the maximum monthly variations of these spectral gains take place in the a-Si PV cell, ranging from −16% (winter) to 4% (summer) in Stuttgart. Anyway, the monthly spread of the spectral effects decreases as the latitude of the site does. Last, the impact of the solar spectrum distribution is remarkably reduced when the period of integration is enlarged up to a year. In fact, annual spectral gains keep below 2.2% for all the studied technologies and sites.