scope:

IEC standards for photovoltaic devices require the use ofspecific classes of solar simulators deemed appropriate forspecific tests. Solar simulators can be either used for performancemeasurements of PV devices or endurance irradiation tests. Thispart of IEC 60904 provides the definitions of and means fordetermining simulator classifications. In the case of PVperformance measurements, using a solar simulator of high classdoes not eliminate the need to quantify the influence of thesimulator on the measurement by making spectral mismatchcorrections and analyzing the influences of uniformity ofirradiance of the test plane and temporal stability on thatmeasurement. Test reports for devices tested with the simulatorshall list the class of simulator used for the measurement and themethod used to quantify the simulator?s effect on the results.