An international team of 73 researchers has established a set of best practices for assessing the performance and reliability of indoor photovoltaic cells, aiming to bring greater clarity and consistency to a field currently characterized by fragmented and differing standards.

“Our study presents the first field-wide consensus on how to evaluate the performance and stability of indoor photovoltaics designed to harvest energy from indoor lighting. Bringing together experts from academia, metrology institutes and industry across 22 countries, the researchers outline a comprehensive framework for standardized measurements,” corresponding author Thomas Brown told pv magazine.

“Key recommendations include how to select appropriate indoor reference light sources, spectra and intensity levels, based on analyses of lighting markets and regulations to ensure that testing conditions accurately reflect those encountered by devices in real-world indoor environments. The study also establishes best practice protocols for assessing  long-term stability – an area that has received little attention in previous testing practices,” he added.

The scientists explained that, although the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) introduced its first technical specification for measuring indoor photovoltaic efficiency in 2023 – IEC TS 62607-7-2:2023 – variations in indoor lighting still complicate consistent performance assessments. To address this, the group proposed a single reference spectrum and illuminance level as the best-practice benchmark, while also recommending alternative testing conditions that account for the diversity of lighting environments found in buildings. The framework also covers measurement procedures, calibration and masking, while introducing core stability tests that were previously lacking.

The group recommended moving toward standardized lighting conditions to make indoor PV performance measurements more consistent and comparable.

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