Mathematical method to find best suited PV technology for different climatic zones of India

Abstract

This paper presents a reliable mathematical method to predict the energy generation from grid connected photovoltaic plant of different commercially used technologies in different zones of India. Global horizontal insolation (GHI) and daytime temperature are the two major parameters affecting the output of photovoltaic (PV) plant. Depending on those two major parameters, India is classified into 15 climatic zones. Typical Meteorological Year data were collected from National Renewable Energy Laboratory to classify India in different climatic zones. Energy generation of different commercially used PV technologies in different climatic zones of India is predicted using proposed mathematical method. These results show a decisive study to choose the best PV technology for different climatic zones of India. Results predict that in almost all climatic zones, amorphous silicon (a-Si) is the best suitable PV technology. In very low-temperature zones, irrespective of GHI, the second best suitable PV technology is mono and cadmium telluride (CdTe) as generation from these two technologies is same. Whereas in other climatic zones, after a-Si the best suitable is CdTe PV technology. Predicted energy generation is validated with the 1-year generation of 2014 from 15 working PV plants of different technologies. Predicted generation is in good co-relation with the actual real-time generation from the PV plants.