• Offer Profile
  • The Photovoltaic Technology Laboratory is part of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Cyprus. One of the main priorities of the Department is to develop a research portfolio into the area of renewable energy sources with emphasis on solar and PV systems, harnessing thus the excellent solar resource that exists in Cyprus.
Product Portfolio
      • Part of the outdoor testing facilities

      • Our team at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Cyprus are delighted to announce the successful completion of the first Photovoltaics Park of its kind in Cyprus, situated at the New Campus of the University of Cyprus. Recognising the potential importance of the area of Photovoltaics for the future energy needs of Cyprus, we have instigated a collaboration with the Institute of Physical Electronics, University of Stuttgart, Germany, one of the pioneering research centres of excellence in Europe in the field of Renewable Sources of Energy and in particular in Photovoltaics and Solar Cells. The PV Park has materialised through a research project recently funded by the BMU (The German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Energy) in Germany. Our team has secured the installation of a PV park worth over 200000 euro at the University and has also received further funding through the European Union and more specifically through an INTERREG program. In addition we are in the process of finalising the details for our participation in other European projects in the near future.
      • Part of the outdoor testing facilities

      • Our group has developed state-of-the-art outdoor and indoor facilities for the characterisation, evaluation, and monitoring of different PV technologies ranging from crystalline silicon to thin film technologies, concentrators as well as novel technologies such as quantum well, organic, flexible and building integrated photovoltaics. Our work focuses in particular on the understanding of their operation under real and simulated, standardized conditions, the development of models for the characterisation of these technologies based on outdoor exposure and the study of degradation, reliability, stability and durability. Of particular interest to us is the study of degradation under outdoor and indoor conditions and the side-by-side comparison in order to deduce information about the mechanisms of degradation. Furthermore, the development of protocols for the characterisation of new technologies such as nanostructured cells and multijunction technologies is amongst our primary aims.
      • 2-axis tracker with concentrator technologies

      • The outdoor facilities consist of diagnostic equipment for the measurement and monitoring at a high resolution of all the important environmental and operational parameters for photovoltaic systems (including the spectrum on an accurate 2-axis tracker and at the plane of array). 25 different grid-connected PV systems, of different technologies, each one having a nominal power of ~1 kWp are currently being monitored. The technologies range from fixed-system mono-crystalline, poly-crystalline and amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride (CdTe), CuInSe2, HIT-cell and other high efficiency solar cell technologies from a range of manufacturers such as Oerlikon, Schott Solar, T-Solar, Q-Cells, BP Solar, Attersa, Sanyo, Solon, SunPower etc. Tracker systems are also installed with the latest in concentrator technologies, covering the majority of the current and up-and-coming PV technologies.
      • NOCT testing

      • The aim of the continuous monitoring of PV systems is to assess their performance while exposed to the same meteorological conditions. Furthermore, we aim at developing models in order to enhance our understanding of the underlying processes, especially for new technologies, and to optimise the systems for improved performance. Monitoring of the concentrator systems also allow for direct comparisons and assessments of the technologies. The effects of spectrum, temperature, mismatches and optical losses on the performance of the systems are also of significant interest.
        Our indoor facilities consist of a climatic chamber, a solar simulator, a UV chamber, cell and lens characterisation systems and spectral response measuring equipment. We are in the process of rendering our facilities 17025 certified for type approval and qualification testing of crystalline, thin film and concentrator technologies based on the IEC 61215, 61646 and 62108 standards respectively.
      • NOCT testing

      • Further work includes solar assisted desalination and cooling, grid integration, power quality issues in the presence of large penetration of solar energy, energy management systems, automation and telemetry, development of solutions for remote and accurate monitoring of PV systems and solar thermal technologies.

        We are in close cooperation with the relevant bodies responsible for the energy policy in Cyprus, such as the Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority, the Cyprus Institute of Energy, the Cyprus Organisation for Standardisation and the Electricity Authority of Cyprus in an attempt to disseminate best practices in Cyprus and to encourage the uptake of PV. Members of our group represent Cyprus in European Energy Committees such as the Energy Committee for the FP7, the SET Plan, the European Standards Committees on PV and the EU PV Mirror Group. Furthermore, our staff act as expert evaluators predominantly for Energy Proposals within the FP7 and other National initiatives.
      • 2-axis tracker DNI, spectrum and irradiance monitoring

      • We have received funding through the EU, the National Research Funding Agency in Cyprus as well as the Electricity Authority of Cyprus and the Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority.

        We are looking to conduct high quality research in the area of solar energy technologies and be actively involved in European initiatives that will enable us to contribute to the European scene but also achieve transfer of knowledge to our country in a field of utmost importance for the future of the energy mix in Cyprus.
    • Solar simulator

    • Cell tester

    • UV chamber

    • Climatic chamber