Monocrystalline PV Module Research Articles

Adaptive Particle Swarm Optimization based improved modeling of Solar Photovoltaic module for parameter determination

Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) panel manufacturers provide a datasheet, which contains key electrical specifications of the SPV module for the user's reference. However, these data alone prove inadequate in anticipating the performance of PV systems under fluctuating atmospheric conditions. The approach put forth in this paper ascertains five parameters of a PV module using information supplied by the manufacturer. This approach considers the impact of solar radiation and cell temperature. The paper outlines the process for determining the parameters of the five-parameter model and establishes a comparison between projected current-voltage curves and manufacturer-provided data. To extract the unknown parameters of a single diode model Adaptive Particle Swarm Optimization (APSO) techniques with barrier constraints was developed. The study investigates both multi-crystalline and mono-crystalline PV module technologies to validate the efficacy of the proposed method. Results demonstrate that the proposed technique, besides being straightforward, proves adept at accurately simulating the dependable performances of PV modules. Comparative analysis reveals that the proposed methods extract parameters with minimal modeling errors and high precision, regardless of temperature fluctuations, outperforming conventional PSO methods.

A PV MPPT control method based on async-PSO and INC algorithm under shading condition

For the time being, solar energy has received considerable attention and development on account of its distinct advantages, such as rich reserves and no geographical restrictions. Nevertheless, in practical applications, the photovoltaic module is easily affected by external environments, which gives rise to a decrease in photovoltaic power. The maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technology for PV power system is an effective method to elevate the efficacy of photovoltaic electricity conversion. The frequently used control methods include the perturb and observe (P&O) algorithm and the incremental conductance (INC) method, and so forth; these methods vary tremendously in terms of the required parameters, algorithm complexity, tracking speed, tracking accuracy, hardware requirements etc. This work puts forth a MPPT control method on the basis of Async-PSO and INC algorithm to achieve a better performance in the MPPT. To reflect the change of light amplitude and temperature in a day, the temperature varies from 25℃ to 60℃ and irradiance from 450W/m2 to 900W/m2 . An extensively used mono-crystalline silicon PV module with 240W was considered as the research object to compare the capability of the recommended MPPT control method. MATLAB/Simulink software was adopted to model and simulate the algorithm. Aside from that, comprehensive comparisons were made with other MPPT methods to test and verify the recommended algorithm has significantly improved the tracking speed and accuracy at the maximum power point with smaller oscillations under various conditions.

Techno-economic analysis of hybrid solar-biomass-wind for water pumping considering carbon tax and renewable energy rebate

There is a need for increased penetration of renewable energy resources (RES) in the energy mix of South Africa that is currently bedevilled by recurring load shedding thus affecting sustainable critical infrastructures such as water pumping and water use. This paper assesses the viability of three RES of solar, biomass, and wind for water pumping at two locations (University of Johannesburg, APK campus – L1 and Zuikerbosch pumping station – L2) in Johannesburg, South Africa by utilising daily data from 2003 to 2020. A detailed feasibility analysis of the three RES was conducted, after which a rebate-based novel model for reducing the unit cost with zero greenhouse gas (GHG) was implemented for solar PV. Key findings reveal that the power requirement in L1 and L2 booster stations are 91 kW and 71,331 kW, respectively while the produced power from a 350 W monocrystalline PV-module utilized is 0.103 kW in L1 and L2 using 882 and 692,534 modules. The biomass power of 47.68 GW in L1 and 99.42 GW in L2 was produced from an average amount of food waste estimate of 1641 and 1248,800 tonnes evaluated from 3729 and 2838,100 tonnes of putrescible waste using a population model. The power density results depict a very weak wind energy application capability in the two locations based on National Renewable Energy Laboratory indices after using 11 differently sized wind turbines in the two locations. Finally, the result from the rebated unit-cost model reveals that the unit cost of water dropped by 17.09$/kWhr from 0.33$/kWhr in L1 and 21.20$/kWhr from 0.66$/kWhr in L2 using the solar PV modules. The study aligns with similar study done in Qatar, and the Springer report on Energy Democracy Evaluation for 100% Renewable Energy Policies and Projects showing an increased penetration of affordable and carbon-free RES which will in turn reduce climate change effects globally.

Evaluation of the Performance of Polycrystalline and Monocrystalline PV Technologies in a Hot and Arid Region: An Experimental Analysis

In arid regions, the behavior of solar panels changes significantly compared to the datasheets provided by the manufacturer. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine the performance of both polycrystalline and monocrystalline solar modules in an arid region characterized by a large potential for solar irradiation and high temperatures. The influence of environmental parameters, such as temperature and dust, on the output power of solar modules with different technologies (monocrystalline and polycrystalline) has been investigated. The Artificial Hummingbirds Algorithm (AHA) has been used to extract parameters for PV modules. As a result, it has been demonstrated that for high solar irradiation, the polycrystalline PV module experiences a smaller decrease in output power than the monocrystalline PV module as the module temperature increases. The percentage drop in output power is approximately 14% for the polycrystalline PV module and nearly 16% for the monocrystalline PV module. However, for low solar irradiation, it is advisable to use monocrystalline modules, as a 21% decrease in power was observed for polycrystalline modules compared to a 9% decrease for monocrystalline modules. Additionally, the monocrystalline PV module was more affected by dust than the polycrystalline PV module under high solar irradiation conditions, while under low incident solar radiation, the polycrystalline PV module was more affected by dust than the monocrystalline PV module. The power drop of the monocrystalline PV module was greater than that of the polycrystalline PV module for high solar radiation (>500 W/m2). Therefore, the advantage of this proposed work is to recommend the use of polycrystalline solar panels in regions characterized by high solar irradiation and high temperatures instead of monocrystalline solar panels, which are more efficient in regions worldwide characterized by low solar irradiation and low temperatures.

Impact of dust particles on the output power of photovoltaic modules in Calabar, Cross River State

During the dry season, dust particles on photovoltaic modules (PV modules) are a regular occurrence in Calabar, Cross River State. This dusty condition or environment is caused by the migration of dust particles from the Sahara region via the east-west wind. The concentration of dust on PV modules has an impact on the overall performance of solar energy systems. This research looks into the effect of dust particles on the output power of solar modules. This investigation was carried out by subjecting 80-watt monocrystalline PV modules to an outdoor experiment and analyzing the changes in current and voltage from the control and dusty PV modules with a digital multimeter. Other environmental factors such as relative humidity, ambient temperature, and solar radiation were also measured with a hygrometer, thermometer, and solar power meter respectively. Appropriate formulars were employed to calculate output power and efficiency. Dust particles on the surface of PV modules dramatically reduces the quantity of sunlight that penetrate the panel by 21.10%, resulting in a drop in the system's overall output power. The study emphasizes on the importance of frequent cleaning and maintenance of PV systems.

Performance analysis of solar PV parameter estimation techniques

Firstly, this paper investigates the performances of the three different established parameter estimation techniques, namely multi-objective function, five-point metaheuristic, and hybrid-based approaches. Using these three different techniques, unknown model parameters, such as photovoltaic current (Ipv), dark saturation current (Io), series resistance (Rs), shunt resistance (Rsh), and Ideality factor (A), of mono-and poly-crystalline technology-based solar PV modules, are predicted. Afterwards, using the estimated unknown parameters and P-V &I-V characteristics curves, two different benchmarks, namely absolute relative maximum power error (ARMPE) and overall model error (OME), of these modules, are evaluated to reveal their best performances. In addition, various other parameter estimation techniques, such as iterative, analytical, curve-fitting, and metaheuristics-based methods, have also been considered for performance analysis. It is shown that the hybrid-based approach provides a better characterization than the other various established approaches. The value of %ARMPE is found almost zero with the hybrid approach for both modules. In addition, the smallest values of OME are obtained with the hybrid approach, i.e., 0.002 or 0.003 for poly- and 0.031 for the mono-crystalline technology-based solar PV module. Hence, a hybrid-based parameter estimation technique is suggested to achieve accurate characteristics of solar PV.

Design and comparative analysis of grid-connected BIPV system with monocrystalline silicon and polycrystalline silicon in Kandahar climate

Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system is a new and modern technique for solar energy production in Kandahar. Due to its location, Kandahar has abundant sources of solar energy. People use both monocrystalline and polycrystalline silicon solar PV modules for the grid-connected solar PV system, and they don’t know that which technology performs better for BIPV system. This paper analysis the parameters, described by IEC61724 “Photovoltaic System Performance Monitoring Guidelines for Measurement, Data Exchange and Analysis” to evaluate which technology shows better performance for the BIPV system. The monocrystalline silicon BIPV system has a 3.1% higher array yield than the polycrystalline silicon BIPV system. The final yield is 0.2% somewhat higher for monocrystalline silicon than polycrystalline silicon. Monocrystalline silicon has 0.2% and 4.5% greater yearly yield factor and capacity factors than polycrystalline silicon respectively. Monocrystalline silicon shows 0.3% better performance than polycrystalline silicon. With 1.7% reduction and 0.4% addition in collection losses and useful energy produced respectively, monocrystalline silicon solar PV system shows good performance than polycrystalline silicon solar PV system. But system losses are the same for both technologies. The monocrystalline silicon BIPV system injects 0.2% more energy to the grid than the polycrystalline silicon BIPV system.

Studying the Absorption Refrigeration System powered by Thermal Waste and Electricity Conversion from Photovoltaic

Currently, buildings are responsible for 32% of the world’s energy consumption, with the most massive energy-consuming device in facilities being the refrigeration system. Photovoltaic is an alternative source of energy without causing environmental damage. Solar Refrigeration is an attractive solution because when there is much solar radiation, peak thermal energy is generated, and a lot of cooling capacity is needed. In this research, the amount of PV modules used as the LiBr-H2O Absorption Refrigeration System’s primary energy source is investigated. PV modules have a dual function, namely as a producer of electric power and producing thermal waste, both of which can be used as energy sources to drive this refrigeration system. In this thermal waste, two thermal sources, namely thermal convection and thermal radiation, accumulate to activate heat exchange at the LiBr-H2O absorption refrigeration system’s generator side. For electrical power from the PV module, it is used to run the air heater to increase the temperature until it reaches the optimum point for hot water supply between 65 to 70 oC. The results are that at least 100 modules of 100Wp Monocrystalline PV Module are needed to drive the LiBr-H2O absorption refrigeration system. Still, it is limited to 15.00, after which the energy source is switched back to electricity from PLN because, after 15.00, many PV modules are required and takes up a large enough space.

Impact of the desert climate on the degradation of photovoltaic modules characteristics: a case study

ABSTRACT In this paper, an investigation study has been carried out to evaluate the photovoltaic module degradation, in a desert area of Algeria. In this view, a set of PV modules have been put into tests and assessment for more than 11 years. These modules were assembled into three PV generators composed of monocrystalline (mc-Si) and polycrystalline (pc-Si) PV modules. The I–V curve tracer, calibrated reference m-Si solar cell and Pt1000 temperature sensor tools were used to collect the data. Three degradation modes were examined namely: (i) the visual inspection characterized mainly by a discoloration of PV modules, (ii) I–V degradation characterized by an increase in the series resistance which corresponds to electrical losses in conductors and (iii) the degradation rate (DR) assessment. The main parameters affecting on PV system performance are the high temperatures and sandstorms that characterize desert regions. The results indicated that for monocrystalline and polycrystalline PV modules, the power degradation rates were 1.53% and 0.37% per year, respectively. This degradation rate was found to be 2.36% per year for modules with broken back-sheet and corroded junction box. The production situation of examined PV systems shown a decrease of about 9%, 13%, and 6.8% for PVG1, PVG2, and PVG3, respectively, throughout the operation period. In addition, cell discoloration was observed as the predominant mode of degradation mechanism in desert climatic conditions.

Experimental investigation to thermal performance of different photo voltaic modules for efficient system design

Due to rapid industrialization, and depletion of fossil fuels, alternative renewable resources are mandatory, where solar thermal energy is one of the promising alternate. In this study, an experimental investigation was conducted to analyze the thermal performance of different photovoltaic-modules under varying climate conditions. These include thin plate Copper indium diselenide, mono-crystalline silicon, micro crystalline silicone, amorphous silicon and poly-crystalline silicon. The analysis was concentrated on the evaluation of module efficiency, solar irradiance absorption rate, maximum power output, performance ratio, normalized power output efficiency and temperature effect on each module at real operational outdoor conditions. Mono-crystalline silicon module showed high average efficiency of 20.8% and average performance ratio 1.21 compared to the other PV modules. It was observed that all types of modules have higher average temperature in summer season and showed low performance ratio and low module efficiency as compared to winter season. Average normalized power out of mono-crystalline silicon 56.2% more efficient than the other modules. The increased thermal performance of mono-crystalline silicon was related with its high absorption rate and high conduction rate. Thus, mono-crystalline silicon PV module is the best potential candidate for solar capturing technique to be utilize in diverse solar thermal energy applications.

Closed-loop aluminium oxide nanofluid cooled photovoltaic thermal collector energy and exergy analysis, an experimental study

PV/T collector cooling was studied experimentally regarding the energy and exergy analysis by Al2O3 nanofluid circulation which is in two different flow patterns. A 20 W polycrystalline PV module was used as a comparison module. Identical PV modules were used for the construction of PV/T collectors, too. PV/T-A collector model was created with the PV module, a copper coil tube was the nanofluid circulated was placed to the backside of it. A PV/T-B collector was made up by placing the Al2O3 nanofluid circulating polyamide channel structure on the backside of the PV module. A 50 W monocrystalline PV module was used to supply power to the circulation pump and heat exchanger fans to provide energy independence from mains electricity. PV/T-A and PV/T-B collectors exposed to 792.83 W/m2 solar radiation equivalent 121.3 W solar power were cooled 28.94% and 48.54% better regarding the PV module. Electrical power outputs are 5.8 W, 8.13 W, 10.34 W for the PV module, PV/T-A, and PV/T-B collectors. Electrical gaining from the PV/T-A and PV/T-B collectors increased 40.17% and 78.27% by cooling. Thermal gaining from PV/T-A and PV/T-B collectors are 42.8 W and 53.39 W. First and second law efficiencies were determined as 4.78%, 42%, 52.52%, and 5.01%, 7.35%, and 9.42% for PV module, PV/T-A, and PV/T-B collectors. Enhancement in solar utilization with PV/T-A and PV/T-B collectors are 45.13 W, and 57.93 W and proportionate equivalents to 37.2% and 47.75%. Enviro-economics size was estimated as 0.094 tCO2/year, and 0.121 tCO2/year carbon reduction and equivalent 1.41$ and 1.81$ carbon trade value.

Effect of dust and cleaning methods on mono and polycrystalline solar photovoltaic performance: An indoor experimental study

Photovoltaic modules are affected by the weather and are sensitive to dust accumulation. The accumulation of dust causes obvious losses in the produced yield. To reduce these losses to a minimum, it is recommended to clean the photovoltaic units periodically by several cleaning methods. In this practical study, the accumulated dust was collected for a period of two months (March and April/2021) from five sites in the Wilayat of North Al Batinah – Oman. The dust components were examined, and the sources of these components were determined and their proportions in the dust of each city. The study adopted the examination of the effect of each component separately on the performance of monocrystalline and polycrystalline PV modules. The results showed that the contamination of 5 g/m2 on the monocrystalline PV module caused a decrease in the produced power by 12%, 6%, 6%, 7%, 3%, 4%, and 4%, for ash, calcium carbonate, limestone, cement, sulfur, sawdust, and brown soil, respectively. For polycrystalline module, at the same contamination (5 g/m2), the measured deteriorations were 5%, 4%, 4%, 1%, 2%, and 2% for ash, sand, limestone. sawdust, black silicon carbide and silica gel, respectively.The best manual cleaning methods were also studied to choose the optimal ones for each PV module and city. Polycrystalline are more affected than monocrystalline by the accumulated dust, with an average of not less than 10% at an accumulation rate of 50 g/m2 and 5.28% at an accumulation rate of 5 g/m2. The best way to clean PV modules to recover the largest percentage of yield losses is the sodium solution with rubber and cloth brushes. The study suggests, depending on the practical results, periodic cleaning periods from 10 days (for polycrystalline module in the cities of Liwa, Sohar and Barka) to 15 days (for monocrystalline module for all the cities studied).

Determination of Yearly Performance and Degradation Rate of Electrical Parameters of a Monocrystalline Photovoltaic Modules in Minna, Central Nigeria

Outdoor degradation analysis was carried out on a monocrystalline PV module rated 10 W using the CR1000 software-based Data Acquisition System (DAS). The PV module under test and meteorological Sensors were installed on a metal support structure on the same test plane. The data obtained was monitored from 09:00 to 18:00 hours each day continuously for a period of four years, from December 2014 to November 2018.The experiment was carried out near the Physics Department, Federal University of Technology, Minna (latitude 09o37'N, longitude 06o32'E, and 249 meters above sea level). The sensors were connected directly to the CR1000 Campbell Scientific data logger, while the module is connected to the logger via electronic loads. The logger was programmed to scan the load current from 0 to 1 A at intervals of 50mA every 5 minutes, and average values of short-circuit current, (Isc,) open-circuit voltage, (Voc), current at maximum power, (Imax), the voltage at maximum power,(Vmax), power and maximum power obtained from the modules together with the ambient parameters are recorded and logged. Data download at the data acquisition site was performed every 7 days to ensure effective and close monitoring of the data acquisition system (DAS). At the end of each month and where necessary, hourly, daily and monthly averages of each of the parameters-solar irradiance, solar insolation, wind speed, ambient and module temperatures, and the output response variables (open-circuit voltage, Voc, short-circuit current, Isc, the voltage at maximum power, Vmax, current at maximum power, Imax, efficiency, Eff, and fill factor, FF) of the photovoltaic modules were obtained.Yearly averages of the performance variables were obtained to ascertain the performance, degradation rate, and lifespan of the module. The module performance for the four years of study was compared with Standard Test Condition (STC) specifications. The maximum power achieved at 1000W/m2 for the four years of study are 0.711W, 1.82W, 0.50W, and 0.22W representing 7.11%, 18.39%, 5.0% and 2.25% of the manufacturer’s 10W specification. Module efficiency at 1000W/m2 for the four years of study is 3.30%, 10.12%, 3.98%, and 2.82% respectively as against the manufacturer's STC specification of 46%. Accordingly, Module Performance Ratios for the PV module investigated were 0.072, 0.22, 0.087, and 0.061respectively. For the Rate of Degradation (RoD), it was observed that Open-Circuit voltage (Voc), Short-Circuit Current (Isc), Power-Output (P), and Maximum Power (Pmax), has an average yearly degradation rate of 1.06V, 0.002A, 0.082W and 0.142W representing 4.9%,0.30%,0.56%, and 1.4%respectively for the four years of study.

A hybrid wind driven-based fruit fly optimization algorithm for identifying the parameters of a double-diode photovoltaic cell model considering degradation effects

The identification of unknown parameters of photovoltaic modules is the keystone to model their performance accurately. This paper introduces a novel hybrid wind driven-based fruit fly optimization algorithm to determine a double-diode photovoltaic cell model’s seven unknown parameters. Due to the limitations of reaching a matured convergence of the classical wind driven optimization for complex multi-modal optimization problems, this paper presents a hybrid algorithm by integrating the wind driven optimization algorithm’s exploitation and fruit fly optimization algorithm’s exploration capacities. The effectiveness of the proposed model is validated using real data from three photovoltaic technologies: mono-crystalline, poly-crystalline, and thin-film. Besides, its computational efficiency and precision are compared with those of various models: deterministic- and metaheuristic-based models. The average values of the standard deviation, normalized-root-mean-square error, mean absolute percentage error, coefficient of determination, and convergence speed of the proposed model were 8.1101 × 10-9, 0.0911%, 2.5661%, 99.0115%, and 10.0112 s. for mono-crystalline PV module, 7.1129 × 10-9, 0.1029%, 2.6334%, 98.9331%, and 8.1201 s. for poly-crystalline PV module, and 6.2212 × 10-9, 0.0871%, 2.3129%, 99.1256% and 9.3211 s. for thin-film PV module. Findings indicate that the proposed model outperforms the aforementioned models in accuracy, convergence speed and feasibility. In addition, it can work blindly with any current-voltage characteristic curve on a 15-min. basis under any weather condition without the need for any initial guess or previous information about any parameter.

Life Cycle Assessment of Solar Photovoltaic in India: A Circular Economy Approach.

This pioneering work employs the attributional and comparative life cycle assessment methodology to evaluate India’s ambitious target of installing 100 GW of solar energy by 2022 and the FRELP method to study the circular economy prospects of the substantial PV waste it is expected to generate. Business as usual projections suggest that the intended target will be achieved no sooner than 2029. The lower lifetime of polycrystalline PV modules combined with their lower efficiency is found to severely downgrade their environmental performance vis-à-vis monocrystalline PV modules. The end-of-life treatment of the projected 6,576 tonnes of solar PV waste, expected to be accumulated between 2034-59, indicates a recovery rate of 90.7% entailing electricity consumption, GHG emissions, and monetary cost of 678.6 MWh, 648 tonnes of CO2 eq., and USD 11.8 billion, respectively. Simultaneously, the recovery of aluminum and glass alone leads to a direct saving of 70.3 GWh of energy by eliminating raw material extraction and processing. Further, the economic value of the recovered material at USD 11.74 billion is found to have the potential to generate additional solar capacity worth 19 GW. However, making the end-of-life treatment of PV waste financially feasible would require government subsidization. A minimum amount that would equate the costs to the benefits is USD 690/MW. The study, therefore, intends to inform potential stakeholders about the environmental burden as well as the economic potential of the impending PV waste and concludes with important policy prescriptions for enabling a sustainable energy transition through the circular economy approach.

Comparative performance analysis of photovoltaic modules of different materials for four different climatic zone of India

The expected effectiveness of different types of photovoltaic modules (PV) reveals remarkable loss due to difference in meteorological parameters like solar radiation and ambient temperature. There is a need to foresight exact performance of modules in different field. In the present manuscript, monocrystalline, polycrystalline and thin films PV modules performance are evaluated and compared for four climatic zone of India (New Delhi, Srinagar, Bangalore and Jodhpur). An analytical expression for different PV technologies is obtained by using basic energy balance equations. Various parameters like ambient temperature, radiation intensity and design factors are the functions of simple algebraic expression. Electrical efficiency, module surface temperature and electrical energy per annum produced are evaluated and presented for present module effectiveness. Comparison of the result show that the electrical efficiency of the PV module does not mainly depends on the solar radiation intensity of climatic zones but are greatly affected by peak temperatures PV modules. Bangalore having moderate climatic conditions, has higher electrical energy per annum yield as compared to Jodhpur despite of having hot climatic conditions, for all the PV modules. The amorphous silicon being the best among other PV Modules in terms of electrical energy output. The efficiency is observed to be low at high module temperature because of the higher resistance. Further, this paper also aims to study the effect of opaque (tedlar) and semitransparent (glass) back cover plate on the performance of the PV module. Semi-transparent back cover plate has low module temperature than opaque back cover plate because solar radiation is transmitted away through its non-covering area. Hence, opaque is less efficient than the semitransparent one.

A reliable approach for modeling the photovoltaic system under partial shading conditions using three diode model and hybrid marine predators-slime mould algorithm

In this article, the triple diode model (TDM) is studied for modeling the Canadian-Solar-CS6P-240P poly-crystalline PV module, Kyocera Solar KC200GT multi-crystalline PV module, Sharp NU-(Q250W2) mono-crystalline PV module, and Pythagoras Solar Large PVGU Window mono-crystalline PV module. A novel hybrid algorithm of the marine predator’s algorithm (MPA) and slime mould algorithm (SMA) (HMPA) is proposed to enhance the MPA exploitation phase while identifying the TDM parameters. The HMPA results are compared to several recent algorithms that are equilibrium optimizer (EO), manta ray foraging optimization (MRFO), transient search optimization (TSO), jellyfish optimizer (JS), and forensic-based optimizer (FBI), besides the basic versions of MPA and SMA. For unbiased comparison, several statistical analyses and non-parametric tests are applied. The convergence curves are used to evaluate the convergence property of the proposed algorithm compared to their counterparts. The HMPA confirms its efficiency in handling the complex multi-modal and multi-dimensional optimization process of identifying the TDM parameters. HMPA provides the least root mean square error (RMSE) between the measured and estimated datasets with the least standard deviation (STD). For Canadian Solar (CS6P-240P) module, the proposed HMPA achieves the minimum RMSE of 0.00037313 with STD of 0.0030488; for Kyocera Solar (KC200GT) module, HMPA attains RMSE ± STD of 0.0033042± 0.0061813. For SharpNU-(Q250W2) PV module and Pythagoras Solar Large PVGU Window, HMPA outperforms the other counterparts with RMSEs ± STDs of 0.00027661± 0.0053002 and 0.00285± 0.0020075, respectively. Accordingly, the HMPA provides the slightest deviation between the estimated datasets and the experimental ones with high consistency over several independent runs. The convergence curves of the proposed HMPA affirm its fast response while handling the optimization problem of TDM. The reliability of the identified parameters is tested to emulate the PV modules’ characteristics at different irradiation levels. Furthermore, the robustness of the identified parameters is examined for integrated systems of series string and series–parallel arrays under partial shading conditions. The PV solar modules/strings/arrays characteristics confirm the accuracy of the identified parameters as the attained main points on the characteristics are defined with high quality.

Silicon Photovoltaic Systems Performance Assessment Using the Principal Component Analysis Technique

The aim of this paper is to further deepen the use of a very robust mathematical technique in the analysis of data. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method is used to analyze the performance of three PV systems and to determine the correlation between performance parameters and meteorological variables. The three systems are based on Silicon monocrystalline (2 kWp), polycrystalline (1.82 kWp) and amorphous (1.55 kWp) PV modules. The performance indicators used are the parameters described in the international standard IEC 61724. The evaluation of parameters such as performance ratio, final yield and capacity factor were found to be 79.08%, 1876.48kWh/kWp/year and 38.46% for polycrystalline, 71.13%, 1688.97kWh/kWp/year and 38.99% for monocrystalline and 78.89%, 1866.42kWh/kWp/year and 33.02% for amorphous, respectively. The projection of the data showed that more than 87% of the information is retained and presented in 2D space. The correlation between temperature and performance of mc-Si, pc-Si, and a-Si systems is −21%, −12.5% and −42.8%, respectively.

ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS OF OFF-GRID PV SYSTEMS FOR REMOTE SETTLEMENTS IN BHUTAN

Through rigorous rural electrification projects, over 99.97% of Bhutan’s households now have access to electricity, which is predominantly generated from run-of-the-river hydropower plants. Despite this achievement, around 5% of the rural households still do not have access to electricity to meet their cooking load demands and, therefore, they extensively rely on firewood, LPG, and kerosene for cooking purposes. Apart from hydropower, penetration of other renewable sources such as solar and wind power in the country is negligible. Thus, an attempt was made to determine the investment costs of installing PV systems for off-grid households in remote settlements by studying their economic feasibility. The study shows that the initial cost of investment for an off-grid Solar Home System for a rural household is US$1.42 per Wp using polycrystalline PV modules and US$1.55 per Wp using monocrystalline PV modules. The average cost of installing SHS is determined to be US$ 2342.67 per household. The results of analyses indicate that standalone SHS for remote rural households is not financially viable with the current price of electricity supply in Bhutan. However, SHS provides a more cost-effective option than a grid-line extension, which is estimated to cost about US$ 6700 per household for the remaining off-grid settlements.

Numerical approach for parameter extraction of a photovoltaic module based on datasheet and five parameters model

The information provided by the constructors is not sufficient for modelling PV panels, where there is a need to determine the unknown parameters to predict the performances and to facilitate a better understanding of the behaviour of a PV generator under the climatic conditions variation. This work presents a numerical method for determining the unknown parameters of a photovoltaic PV module based on the current-voltage characteristic provided by the manufacturers. This numerical method helps to model any PV generator and it allows us to study the static and dynamic performances of a PV system. In this paper, the operating principal of a PV module is described. The parameters which figure in the mathematical equation of a PV module are determined using MATLAB IDE in order to see the effect of climate change especially the effect of irradiance and temperature on the energy produced through graphical representations. The proposed method of extraction of the five unknown parameters is validated and compared with data given by the manufacturer for two different technologies, polycrystalline and monocrystalline PV module under various climatic conditions.