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Evaluating Solar Photovoltaic System Performance Using MATLAB
Evaluating Solar Photovoltaic System Performance Using MATLAB
ABSTRACT
This paper focuses on the modeling of solar photovoltaic (PV) cell and the performance of typical solar PV panels in
selected areas in the Sultanate of Oman. An accurate solar PV cell electrical model is based on the junction diode equations.
The model consists of a photo-current current source, a single diode junction and a series resistance, and takes into account
temperature and solar irradiation dependence. The model is developed using MATLAB/Simulink and is used to investigate
the variation of the maximum power point for different temperatures and solar irradiation levels. Finally, the model is
experimentally validated for a typical 30 Watt solar module connected to a variable load.
Index Terms solar irradiation, performance, irradiance, experimental validation, I-V curve, maximum power point,
Oman.
Bahrain
(kWh/m2/day)
6.4
(kWh/m2/day)
6.5 I = I L Io
(
q (V + IRS )
(e nKT
)
1)
(V + IRs ) (5)
Kuwait 6.2 6.5 Rsh
Oman 5.1 6.2 Where
Qatar 5.5 5.6 n is the diode quality factor.
Saudi Arabia 7.0 6.5 Ko is the short circuit current temperature coefficient
UAE 6.5 6.0 T1 is the reference temperature.
T is climate temperature.
Table 2. Annual energy consumption and land for solar PV
Vg is band gap energy.
installations in the GCC countries.
k is the Boltzmanns constant.
Annual Per capita q is the electron charge.
electric energy electric energy Land VocT1 is the open circuit voltage per cell.
Country
consumption consumption (km2)
ISC is the short circuit current per cell.
(GWh) (kWh)
G is the ambient irradiation. G=1 for 1000 W/m2.
Bahrain 10,763 9,214 9.215
Kuwait 42,802 17,610 37.828 Based on equations (1) through (5), a model was
Oman 12,198 5,724 13.106 developed and tested using MATLAB/Simulink. The
Qatar 18,074 14,421 18.006 results, shown in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5, are discussed in the
Saudi Arabia 174,845 6,856 136.865 following sections.
UAE 79,544 11,464 67.055 2.1 Effects of Solar Irradiation
The influence of the solar irradiation on the solar cell
2. SOLAR PV CELL MODELING
voltage, current and maximum power point is shown in Fig
A typical PV cell consists of a silicon P-N junction that 2. As it can be seen from this figure, more power is
when exposed to light releases electrons around a closed delivered from the solar cell as the irradiation level
electrical circuit. The equivalent circuit of the PV cell is increases. This is due to increase in both the voltage and the
shown in Fig. 1 [7]. current when solar cell is exposed to more irradiation.
IL is the photo current generated in the PV cell and
depends on the solar irradiation (G).
I is the PV cell output current.
Id is the bypass diode current and depends on junction
voltage and the cell reverse saturation current (Io).
V is the PV cell output voltage.
Rsh is the shunt resistance and it has a large value.
Rs is the series resistance and it has a small value.
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2.2 Effects of Temperature
The impacts of the ambient temperature on the current
and maximum power output are shown in Fig 3. The
increase in the short circuit current and decrease in the open
voltage due to temperature rise resulted in overall reduced
power output.
2.3 Effects of Series Resistance
The effect of the series resistance RS on the cell power
output is shown in Fig. 4. Reducing the series resistance
lead to an increase in the power output and a deviation of
the maximum power point as well. b
Figure 4. Effects of the series resistance on the cell
2.4 Effects of Diode Reverse Saturation Current current (a) and power output (b).
As seen in Fig 5, reducing the diode saturation current
increased the open circuit voltage and the maximum power
point delivered by the solar cell.
b
b
Figure 5. Effects of the diode reverse saturation current
Figure 3. Effects of the ambient temperature on the cell
on the cell current (a) and power (b) for G=1000W/m2,
current (a) and power output (b).
Rs=8m, Rsh=10k and T=75oC.
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Table 3. The key specifications for the Solarex MSX60
PV panel [7].
Cell technology polycrystalline
Number of cells in series 36
Temperature T 25oC
Open circuit voltage VOC 21.00 V
Short circuit current ISC 3.74 A
Voltage at maximum power VM 17.10 V
Current at maximum power IM 3.50 A
Maximum power PM 59.90 W
b
Figure 7. Effects of the temperature on the Solarex
MSX60 current (a) and power output (b).
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7. BIOGRAPHIES
Mounir Bouzguenda received his B.S. degree in
Electrical Engineering the Pennsylvania State
University, USA, in 1985. He also received his M.S.
and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
USA in 1988 and 1992, respectively.
Dr. Mounir taught in Virginia, Maryland, Tunisia and
Sultanate of Oman. He also worked as a consultant with Standard
Technologies Institute, Maryland and Temple Group, Washington DC and
Computer Engineering Services, Sfax-Tunisia. Dr. Mounir joined Sultan
Qaboos University-Oman as an Associate Professor in 2009. Currently, he
is teaching in the Electrical and Computer Engineering. His research
Figure 9. The P-V curve for the GE 30 W Module.
interests include smart grid, renewable energy systems, power systems and
The discrete data points indicate the experimental values power electronics. He has authored and co-authored many technical papers
in these areas.
5. CONCLUSION
Tarak Salmi was born in Kairouan in Tunisia, on
In this paper, the models for solar photovoltaic cell and September 2, 1975. He graduated from Nasrallah
module have been developed and analyzed for different Secondary School, Kairouan, and studied at the
University Sfax. His special fields of interest include
weather conditions and devices main parameters. The Power Electronics and Photovoltaic Systems.
models were validated by constructing the characteristic Tarak received the B.S. degree from Tunis University of
curves under different scenarios. Finally, the results were Sciences in 2000 and the MS degree from Monastir
compared with the solar cell and module main University of Sciences in 2007. Currently, he is pursuing his Ph.D. at the
National Engineering School of Sfax (ENIS) in Tunisia.
characteristics given by the manufacturers.
Adel Gastli received the B.Sc. degree in Electrical
The aim of future work would be to develop a complete Engineering from National School of Engineers of
model to simulate the electrical behavior of a PV array and Tunis, Tunisia in 1985. He worked two year in the
standardization and certification of electric products in
subsequently an entire standalone or grid connected solar Tunisia. He received the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from
PV system. Nagoya Institute of Technology, Japan in 1990 and 1993
respectively. He joined the R&D Department at Inazawa
Works (elevators and escalators) of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation in
6. REFERENCES Japan from April 1993 to Aug. 1995. He joined Sultan Qaboos University
in Aug. 1995. He is currently a Professor of Electrical Engineering at
[1] W. E. Alnaser and N. W. Alnaser, Solar and wind Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman. He has established, in 2003, the
energy potential in GCC countries and some related Renewable and Sustainable Energy Research Group (RASERG) at Sultan
projects, J. Renewable Sustainable Energy 1, 022301 Qaboos University and served as RASERG coordinator since then. He has
(2009); doi: 10.1063/1.3076058. authored and co-authored more than 80 papers. His current research
interests include electrical machines, power electronics, drives, as well as
[2] D. Reiche, Energy Policies of Gulf Cooperation renewable energy.
Council (GCC) countries-possibilities and limitations of
ecological modernization in rentier states, Journal of Ahmed Masmoudi received the BS degree from Sfax
Energy Policy (May 2010), pp 2395-2403. Engineering School (SES), University of Sfax,
Tunisia, in 1984, the PhD from Pierre and Marie Curie
[3] World Development Indicators (CD-ROM), IBRD, University, Paris, France, in 1994, and the Research
World Bank, Washington, DC 2010. Management Ability degree from SES, in 2001, all in
[4] M. R. Qader, Electricity Consumption and GHG Electrical Engineering. In 1988, he joined the Tunisian
Emissions in GCC Countries, Energies 2009, 2, 1201- University where he held different positions involved
in both education and research activities. He is
1213; doi:10.3390/en20401201 currently a Professor of Electric Power Engineering at SES. Ahmed
[5] Deloitte: Middle East Energy and Resources Masmoudi is the Manager of the Research Unit on Renewable Energies and
Managing Scarcity for the Future - Energy on Demand- Electric Vehicles. He is the Editor in Chief of the Transactions on Systems,
The Future of GCC Energy Efficiency, Nov. 3rd, 2011. Signals and Devices (TSSD), issues on Power Electrical Systems,
published by Shaker-Verlag, Germany. He is the Program Committee
[6] http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details beitrag/ uae- Chairman of the International Conference and Exhibition on Ecological
-1-gw-solar-project-launched_100005433/, accessed Vehicles and Renewable Energies (EVER), held every year in Monaco,
January 12, 2012. since 2006. He is a senior member IEEE. Ahmed Masmoudi is the author
[7] G. Walker, Evaluating MPPT converter topologies and co-author of more than 70 journal papers among which three are
published in the IEEE Transactions on Magnetics. He is the co-inventor of
using a Matlab PV model, Journal of Electrical & a US patent. His main interests are focused towards the design of new
Electronics Engineering, Australia, Vol.21, No. 1. topologies of electrical machines and the implementation of advanced,
(2001), pp. 49-56. efficient and robust control strategies in electrical machine drives and
[8] J.A. Ramos Hernanz, J.J. Campayo Martn, I. Zamora generators, applied in automotive as well as in renewable energy systems.
Belver, J. Larraaga Lesaka, E. Zulueta Guerrero, and
E. Puelles Prez, Modelling of Photovoltaic Module,
International Conference on Renewable Energies and
Power Quality (ICREPQ10), Granada, Spain, March
23-25, 2010.
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