Comparative Analysis of Energy Production and Simulation Software for Photovoltaic Systems in Multiple Moroccan Sites

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive study conducted as part of the Propre.ma's project, comparing data from several identical photovoltaic systems installed at multiple sites in Morocco. The project capitalizes on twenty distinct locations equipped with the same solar photovoltaic system and three varieties of solar modules (Mono-si, Poly-si, and Amorphous-si) with nearly identical rated power (2kWp) and a standardized 2 kW inverter. The main objectives are to compare the energy production of different solar photovoltaic systems over two years (2015 to 2016) and to assess the performance of PVsyst and SAM simulation software, renowned for their precision. The study reveals that Mono-si and Poly-si systems produce higher energy outputs than Amorphous-si. Moreover, PVsyst demonstrates closer alignment with real-world energy production rates across all technologies (Mono-si, Poly-si, and Amorphous-si) compared to SAM. This research represents a pioneering effort in evaluating simulation software for photovoltaic systems deployed across multiple sites, providing valuable insights for future solar energy projects and technological advancements.