Solar cell module colored with fluorescent plate

In order to color the solar cell module with a small decrease in energy conversion efficiency, a fluorescent plate was used as a protecting plate for the module. The effect of the coloration on the energy conversion efficiency was discussed on the basis of a simple model for the absorption and re-emission of light in the fluorescent plate and spectral reflection of the solar cell module. The measured energy conversion efficiency of the colored solar cell module was comparable to that of the non-colored module, when the fluorescent quantum efficiency was nearly equal to 1.0. The coloration of green yielded a 2.7% increase in energy conversion efficiency, and the colorations of orange, pink, and red, could be made with 0.5%, 1.5% and 5.5% decrease in energy conversion efficiency. The small increase in energy conversion efficiency was attributable to the fact that the reflectivity of the colored module was a little less than that of the non-colored module. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.