Abstract
This research work is intended to evaluate the reliability of commonly utilized empirical correlations of module operation temperature in estimating the photovoltaic performances in tropical region. The Nominal Operation Cell Temperature (NOCT) model, Tropical Field Operation Cell Temperature (tFOCT) model and the experimental back module temperature were selected for evaluation purposes. The models were evaluated by comparing the performance characteristics of a 250W monocrystalline photovoltaic module installed at University Malaysia Pahang. The monocrystalline back module temperature and power output as well as the environmental data including both solar irradiation and ambient temperature were monitored to assist the analysis. Based on the 5 consecutive day experimental data, results indicated that the module operation temperature estimated by tFOCT model had the closest value to the experimental back module temperature. Whereas, the temperature estimated by NOCT model showed the highest deviation up to 25.8% from the experimental back module temperature. However, in terms of estimating the photovoltaic module power output, the NOCT model had the closest value to the experimentally measured power output. The results also indicated that utilizing the back module temperature often mislead the estimation of photovoltaic module power output. In addition, the deviation of estimated power output from NOCT model, tFOCT model and back module operation temperature as compared to the experimental power output were 15.4%, 18.87% and 21.2%, respectively. Thus, the NOCT model demonstrated better estimation of power output as compared to the experimental result than tFOCT model, and back module temperature. However, better estimation method for tropical regions is still needed because three methods evaluated in this study shows deviation of more than 15.4% from the measured power output.
Highlights
The growing interest towards the sustainable energy system had boosted the photovoltaic system (PV) for power generation applications
In order to evaluate the reliability of power output estimation through Nominal Operation Cell Temperature (NOCT), Tropical Field Operation Cell Temperature (tFOCT) and back module temperature methods, an experiment setup was developed at University Malaysia Pahang facility located at 2°47’41.9” N 104°12’11.5” E in Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia
An experiment set up were developed in order to evaluate two models in estimating the module operation temperature and the power output of a c-Si module, NOCT and tFOCT
Summary
The growing interest towards the sustainable energy system had boosted the photovoltaic system (PV) for power generation applications. Acquiring the ability of harnessing from 10% up to 25% of sun energy, the PV system installation demonstrated 25 % increment in 2015 as compared to previous year 1 Significant factors such as government incentive, national level policy framework, sophisticated manufacturing technology and reasonable capital cost contributes to the growth of PV technologies. The cumulative installed capacity of PV system by the end of 2014 is 177GW where 22% of the capacity were dominated by Germany and followed by China and Japan with 16% and 13%, respectively 3. This progressive move had assisted upon the evolution of mass PV manufacturing industries especially in China 4. Several other Asian countries such as Japan, Korea and India displayed rapid developments in PV markets 4
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