Low-cost Open-source 12-channel MPPT Data Logger for Solar Cell Research

Abstract

The emergence of perovskite solar cells has brought increased attention to the importance of stability testing and continuous maximum-power-point tracking (MPPT) for the characterization of experimental solar cells, even at early stages of R&D. As many experimental cells are often fabricated in multitude, e.g., as multiple ‘pixels’ on each substrate, it is desirable to have a large number of measurement instruments, each of which can be committed for long periods of time, ranging from days to weeks or longer, to characterize the performance of each individual research device. Here, we present a low-cost measurement circuit capable of performing and recording simultaneous measurements on up to 12 devices, including MPPT, I–V sweeps, fixed-voltage, and fixed-current operation. The circuit is suitable for cells with ISC up to ~150 mA and VOC up to ~3 V. Complete schematics, PCB layouts, and firmware are available online, offered for use and improvement by the greater PV research community.