For thermal analysis of photovoltaic modules, single value absorbance model of solar cells has often been used. However, this model can't fully embody obvious selective absorption feature of solar cells. Aimed at this issue, a kind of segmented multi-waveband absorbance model was proposed. By simplifying the standard AM1.5 solar spectrum into 25 different wavebands, corresponding absorbance data were calculated. Combined with finite element method and this segmented absorbance model, temperature simulation of PV module was carried out and the temperature difference between the new model and the single value one used before got to 3.17 K. Then considering less calculated amount and the absorption characteristics, AM1.5 solar spectrum was taken into three wavebands and an alternative three waveband absorbance model was put forward. The results showed the module temperature difference between the three-waveband absorbance model and multi-waveband absorbance model was only 0.20 K, which indicated the three-waveband absorbance model was more suitable in the PV module temperature simulation. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.