Experimental investigation of efficiency enhancement techniques in photovoltaic systems to identify the most efficient system

Abstract Photovoltaic (PV) systems are a promising sustainable alternative to fossil‐fuel‐based electricity generation; however, their field performance is limited by optical reflection, charge carrier recombination, dust accumulation, temperature variations, and environmental degradation. This study experimentally evaluates and compares design‐level and functional‐level PV efficiency enhancement techniques under identical outdoor operating conditions in Bhubaneswar, India. A conventional 600 Wp (5 m 2 ) PV system exhibited an initial field efficiency of 12.0%, which decreased to 11.5% after 18 months. Design‐level enhancements included anti‐reflective (AR) coatings, aluminum oxide passivation layers, and multi‐junction solar cells. The AR‐coated 760 Wp (5 m 2 ) system achieved an initial efficiency of 15.2% with only 2.63% degradation, while the passivation‐enhanced 1040 Wp (5 m 2 ) system achieved an initial efficiency of 20.8% with 6.25% degradation. The multi‐junction 1600 Wp (5 m 2 ) system achieved an efficiency of 28.0%. Functional enhancements further improved performance, with automated cleaning recovering 2%–3% of soiling losses, solar tracking increasing annual energy generation by approximately 20%, and the combined cleaning and tracking system achieving the highest specific energy yield of 1500 kWh/kWp/year. Among the investigated technologies, passivation layers provide the best balance between efficiency, durability, and cost, whereas multi‐junction cells deliver the highest efficiency but remain constrained by manufacturing complexity and cost. The integration of passivation layers with functional enhancements offers the most effective strategy for improving PV efficiency, energy generation, long‐term reliability, and economic performance under real operating conditions.