Solar cell~ and solar cell module~ have to be tested for their performance, i.e. their ability to produce electrical power under well-defined conditions of illumination and temperature. The need for performance measurements arises at various stages of development, design and production from different requirement~: at the development level, the main objective is to as~ess the performance of a new concept in comparison with state-of-the-art competitors; at the design level, performance data are required as input for the ~izing and dimensions of photovoltaic ~y~tem~ operating under certain environmental conditions; at the produc­ tion level, the cells and modules must be acceptance te~ted against a set of specifications in order to separate deliverables from reject~. For accurate performance measurements and calibration, several methods exist which can be generally categorised into two clas~e~: outdoor methods in natural sunlight, and indoor method~, u~ing ~imulated ~unlight or indirect analytical method~. Depending on the purpose of a performance test, each of these method~ can offer specific advantage~. Therefore, the various methods are not to be looked at as competing, but rather as complementary tool~ for the achievement of accurate electrical performance measurement~.

Measurement and Analysis of Solar Radiation Data.- Measurement and Analysis of Solar Radiation Data.- Thermal Collectors.- Solar Thermal Collectors.- Performance Test Procedures for Thermal Collectors: Outdoor Testing.- Performance Test Procedures for Thermal Collectors: Solar Simulators.- Photovoltaic Converters.- Photovoltaic Energy Converters.- Performance Test Procedures for Solar Cells and Modules.- Solar Cell and Module Performance Assessment Based on Indoor Calibration Methods.- Method for a Reliability Study on Photovoltaic Modules-Application for the Qualification of Cells and Modules.- Test and Facilities at JRC.- Photovoltaic Indoor Test Facilities at the Joint Research Centre-Ispra Establishment-Solar Simulators.- The Solar Test Facility LS-1-Technical Description.- Qualification and Durability Tests: Applications for Thermal Collectors and Photovoltaic Modules.- Facilities for the Study of Behaviour in Corrosive Atmospheres and Their Application to Thermal and Photovoltaic Converters.- Performance of a Hybrid Solar Heating System of the Solar Laboratory at the JRC-Ispra.- EC Programmes.- to the EC Solar Heating Programme.- Validation of Simulation Models of Solar Heating Systems with Data from the Solar Pilot Test Facilities.- The Photovoltaic Pilot Projects of the European Community.- Annex: Methodologies.- I-Recommendations for European Solar Collector Test Methods (Liquid Heating Collectors).- II-Standard Procedures for Terrestrial Photovoltaic Performance Measurements CEC Specification No. 101-Issue 2 (1981).- III-Photovoltaic Module Control Test Specifications Specification No. 501 (August 1981).