*Pending Update*
As of 2020 the IEC standard (60904-9) has been updated with the addition of A+ categories for the various solar simulator characteristics. There are implications for some of the topics discussed throughout this guide and as such it will be updated shortly to reflect the new standard. This notice will be updated along with the changelog when this is done.
For the uninitiated, when selecting a solar simulator, there seems to be a huge number of manufacturers and models available. While there are standards in place that require simulators to be classified according to their performance, these have not kept pace with the advances of solar simulator technology or the devices they are used to test.
This site attempts to list the basic terminology and elements of solar simulators, how they are classified by the existing standards and, finally, how advanced solar simulators differ and the advantages they provide. It is in no way a complete work, but is intended to help those who are new to the field by giving them a good entry-level knowledge of the subject.
We recommend downloading and reading the international standards (listed to the right) to assist with the terminology and concepts described throughout this site.
This site attempts to list the basic terminology and elements of solar simulators, how they are classified by the existing standards and, finally, how advanced solar simulators differ and the advantages they provide. It is in no way a complete work, but is intended to help those who are new to the field by giving them a good entry-level knowledge of the subject.
We recommend downloading and reading the international standards (listed to the right) to assist with the terminology and concepts described throughout this site.
Get The Standards
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