Multi-criteria modeling and assessment of PV system performance in different climate areas of Iran

Abstract

Although the use of solar energy for power generation has grown significantly in recent years, due to its location-oriented nature, choosing the best location for the development of a PV system is of great importance. This paper evaluates the performance of a PV system in five different cities of Iran with diverse climatic conditions in order to investigate the effect of weather and climatic conditions on the efficiency and performance of PV panels. Numerous studies on this topic have been conducted in order to find the greatest and most cost-effective geographic location for employing PV systems in various industries. Using a mathematical model, the effect of temperature and radiation on PV system performance has been investigated. Then, by defining various performance indicators, using the SMART method, the studied cities are ranked in a multi-criteria decision-making process. Finally, in order to evaluate the model, its outputs have been validated using System Advisor Model software. According to the research outputs, the city of Yazd has provided the best performance, followed by Isfahan, Bandar Abbas, Tabriz and Tehran. The data show that the amount of energy produced per year and average annual calculated efficiency in the city of Yazd, as the best city, is equal to 8,184.59 (kWh) and 18.24%, respectively. This led to a capacity factor of 23.57 and performance ratio of 0.887 for this city.