Abstract — Luminescent materials suitably embedded into
the architecture of photovoltaic (PV) modules can increase the
short-wavelength response, and thus efficiency, of nearly all inproduction
PV technologies. At the same time, visible-wavelength
luminescence that escapes the modules due to its omnidirectional
nature is perceived as color when it reaches the human eye. It is
shown that this “lost” luminescence can be used for the
application of aesthetical as well as functional coloration, while
maintaining or even increasing in favorable cases the efficiency of
commercial PV modules. Performance enhancement of 0.4
mA/cm2
is reported for a CdTe mini-module with a custom
graphical design.
Index Terms — color, encapsulation, energy efficiency, green
buildings, luminescence, photovoltaic systems.