Outdoor Performance Data for GaAs-Si Tandem Solar Mini-Module

October 2019 to January 2021 outdoor measurement data for a four-terminal gallium arsenide/silicon tandem solar mini-module deployed in Golden, Colorado. The dataset includes current-voltage characteristics, spectral irradiance, meteorological data, and pre-deployment lab characterization. It was created by the Department of Energy to support performance modeling and degradation analysis for tandem photovoltaic devices.

Use Cases

• Model degradation rates using extracted performance parameters from J-V curves and the provided filtering methodology.
• Analyze spectral mismatch effects on tandem cell performance using spectral mismatch ratios and average photon energy data.
• Validate PV performance models using PVcircuit equivalent-circuit simulation outputs against measured outdoor data.
• Correlate module performance with environmental conditions using one-minute resolution meteorological data and precipitable water vapor measurements.
• Calculate temperature and PWV correction coefficients for performance normalization using the outdoor-extracted correction data.

Strengths

• Data spans over 15 months of continuous outdoor deployment from October 2019 to January 2021.
• Includes multiple integrated data streams: J-V characteristics, spectral irradiance, meteorological data, and lab characterization.
• Specific degradation rates are provided: -4.1 ± 0.2 %/year for GaAs and -2.5 ± 0.9 %/year for Si sub-cells.

Limitations

• Data is from a single mini-module at one location, limiting generalizability to other climates or module designs.
• Sample size is unknown; the dataset represents one specific device's performance history.

Provenance

Source

Department of Energy

Collection Method

Outdoor measurements at the Solar Radiation Research Laboratory (SRRL) in Golden, Colorado, with co-located meteorological station and spectroradiometer.

Time Range

October 2019 to January 2021

Freshness

Data collection ended in January 2021; the dataset was last updated on the platform in April 2026.

Geography

Golden, Colorado, USA