System components-

PV modules

Slide
2
Learning Objectives

Identify the major parameters that influence the

1 power generation of a PV module

Identify the advantages and disadvantages of using a

2 resistor-based rheostat (I-V curve tracer)

Identify the types of light sources used in PV

3 measurements

Explain the major effect of irradiance and

4 temperature on energy generation of PV modules

Slide
3
Parameters Influencing the Power Generation of a PV
Module
 Irradiance

 Irradiance level changes throughout the day and from season

to season
 Proportionally influences the performance (current) of a PV
module
 Temperature range

 Temperature level changes throughout the day and from

season to season
 Significantly influences the performance (voltage) of a PV
modules
Slide
4
Objective
1
Parameters Influencing the Power Generation of a PV
Module Cont’d

 Spectral range

 Spectrum changes throughout the day and from season to

season
 Very little influence on the performance of c-Si technologies
(spectral effect not discussed in this VOCTEC training)
 Influence of these parameters on the performance can be obtained by
measuring I-V curves

Slide
5
Objective
1
Current-Voltage (I-V) Curves
60 kW
Capacitor based
fast & accurate
Current VS. Voltage Expensive
Power VS. Voltage

12 kW
Capacitor based
fast & accurate
Expensive

300 W
Resistor based
Slow & less accurate
Inexpensive

Included in MTT Slide

Source: Jim Dunlop Solar and ASU
6
Objective
2
Current-Voltage Measurement Methods

Slide
7
Light Sources for I-V Measurements
Outdoor – Natural Sunlight
~ 1 second if automatic tracer used
~ 5 minutes if rheostat tracer used Indoor – Flash Simulator
~10-80 millisecond tracer

Indoor – Continuous Simulator

~ 1 second if automatic tracer used
~ 5 minutes if rheostat tracer used

Slide
8
Objective
3
Effect of Irradiance Level

Slide Source: Jim Dunlop Solar

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Objective
4
Effect of Irradiance Level Cont’d

Slide
10
Objective
4
Effect of Irradiance Level – Example

Slide
11
Objective
4
Effect of Temperature
 For crystalline silicon PV devices, increasing cell temperature results in a
decrease in voltage and power, and a small increase in current

Slide Source: Jim Dunlop Solar

12
Objective
4
Effect of Temperature – Temperature Coefficients

 For crystalline silicon PV:

 Voltage decreases ~1% for 2.5°C increase in temperature
 Current increases ~1% for 12°C increase in temperature
 Power decreases ~1% for 2.2°C increase in temperature

Slide
13
Objective
4
Effect of Temperature – Example (for c-Si module)

 When the cell temperature increases from 25oC to 55oC

 Voltage decreases by [30/2.5%] = 12%
 Power decreases by [30/2.2%] = 14%

25C 55C
Slide
14
Objective
4
Parallel & Series Connection
 PV modules are connected
electrically in series to build
voltage output
 Example: each module generates:
Current = 4.9 A, Voltage = 35.8V,

Current (A)
and Power = 175.4W
 Series strings of PV modules are
connected in parallel to build
current and power output Voltage (V)
 Array total:
 Current = 4.9 A x 2 = 9.8A
 Voltage = 35.8 V x 5 = 179V
 Power = 175.4W x 10 = 1754W Slide Source: Jim Dunlop Solar
15
Usefulness of I-V Curve Tracer
 Ammeter usefulness
 If there is a change in short-circuit current (for example, due
to irradiance change or soiling), then ammeter can detect the
issue
 Voltmeter usefulness
 If there is a change in open-circuit voltage (for example, due
to temperature change), then voltmeter can detect the issue
 I-V curve tracer usefulness
 If there is a change in power (for example, due to a bad cell
among good cells in a module), then ammeter or voltmeter
cannot detect the issue; only I-V curve tracer (automatic or
rheostat based tracer) can detect the issue. See the examples
in the next few slides
Slide
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Usefulness of I-V Curve Tracer Cont’d

Slide
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Usefulness of I-V Curve Tracer Cont’d

Slide Source: JiCA

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Usefulness of I-V Curve Tracer Cont’d

Slide
Source: JiCA
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Usefulness of I-V Curve Tracer Cont’d

1 bypass diode triggered 2 bypass diodes triggered

due to one-string shading due to two-string shading

Source: Solarpro
Slide
20
Usefulness of I-V Curve Tracer Cont’d

Slide Source: Solarpro

21
Usefulness of I-V Curve Tracer Cont’d
 Browning in old modules will lead to high losses in Isc and Pmax
 Isc loss due to browning can be detected using an ammeter
 In old browned modules, Pmax loss is higher than Isc loss due to
series resistance increase

Slide
Source: ASU
22
Parameters Influencing the Energy Generation of a PV
Module

 Irradiance range

 Irradiance level changes throughout the day and from season

to season
 PV module performance at lower irradiance range (<200
W/m2) is critical for Pacific Islands as 5-20% (depending on
the month) of PV energy is produced in this range

Slide
23
Objective
4
Parameters Influencing the Energy Generation of a PV
Module Cont’d

 The performance requirement at low irradiance level

becomes very critical because the efficiency of crystalline
silicon PV modules at lower irradiance levels drastically
differs from one manufacturer to the other
 Based on the efficiency at lower irradiance levels, there is a
strong need for Pacific Islands to differentiate between the
conventional crystalline silicon PV module manufacturers

Slide
24
Objective
4
Parameters Influencing the Energy Generation of a PV
Module
 Temperature range

 Temperature level changes throughout the day and from

season to season
 PV module performance at higher module temperature range
(35-600C) is important as the majority of PV energy is
produced in this range.
 This requirement is not critical for stand-alone PV systems
because the temperature coefficient of conventional
crystalline silicon PV modules do not significantly differ from
one manufacturer to the other
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25
Objective
4
Parameters Influencing the Energy Generation of a PV
Module Cont’d

 Based on the temperature coefficients, there is no strong

need to differentiate between the conventional crystalline
silicon PV module manufacturers
 Spectral range

 Spectrum changes throughout the day and from season to

season
 Not important as the influence of spectral change is very
minimal for crystalline silicon technologies (but is significant
for a-Si technology)
Slide
26
Objective
4
Influence of Low Irradiance on the Power Generation of a PV
Module
 Irradiance Range

 Identify the irradiance ranges where large portions of energy is

produced for your site condition (see Fiji example next slide)
 The efficiency of many commercial crystalline silicon modules
with poor cell technology drastically drops at or below the
irradiance level of 200 W/m2
 Desert climatic condition (Phoenix, Arizona, USA): Less than
about 2% of energy is produced below 200 W/m2
(cloudy/overcast sky). So, the efficiency drop of PV module at
low irradiance is not critical for stand-alone applications in
Arizona Slide
27
Influence of Low Irradiance on the Power Generation of a
PV Module Cont’d

 Tropical climatic condition (Pacific Islands): A large portion (5-20%

depending on the month) of energy is produced at low light level
conditions of less than 200 W/m2 (cloudy/overcast sky). So, the
efficiency drop of PV module at low irradiance is very critical for
stand-alone applications in Pacific Islands and it directly influences
the state of charge of battery and its life (large size PV array
needed to compensate for the efficiency drop)
 California Energy Commission database provides the efficiency data
for a large number of modules at 200 W/m2, 800 W/m2 and 1000
W/m2 (http://www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov/equipment/documents/PV_Eligibility_Procedure.pdf)

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Suva, Fiji: A Large Fraction of Solar Energy comes from
Irradiance Level Lower than 200 W/m2 (overcast)

 During the battery sizing

critical month of July, about
20% of solar energy comes at
low light levels of less than
200 W/m2 !
 So, the efficiency of PV
modules at low light levels is
critical for the battery life
(reduced sulfation) and
autonomy!
Slide
Source: Data supplied by USP and analyzed by ASU
29
Efficiency Comparison at High & Low Irradiance Levels
for Four c-Si Manufacturers at 50oC

Slide
Source: ASU PV Reliability Laboratory (ASU-PRL)
30
Efficiency Comparison at High & Low Irradiance Levels for
c-Si and Thin-Film Technologies

Slide Source: TUV Rheinland Germany

31
Efficiency of a c-Si PV Array at High & Low Irradiance
Levels (Edmonton, Canada)

Slide
Source: TamizhMani, CANMET
32
Measurement of Performance at Different Temperature &
Irradiance Levels

 This report explains how to

obtain performance parameters
of a PV modules at different
temperature and irradiance
levels using natural sunlight

http://www.solarabcs.org/about/publica
tions/reports/pv-mod-power-
rating/pdfs/PVModulePowerRatingRep
ort.pdf

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PV Module Tests Using Rheostat & PV Analyzer Included in
MTT
 Temperature coefficient of voltage
 Temperature coefficient of current
 Temperature coefficient for power
 I-V curves at high and low irradiance levels
 I-V curves at high and low temperatures
 I-V curves with shading
 I-V curves with mismatched modules
 I-V curves with soiling

Note: PV analyzer limit is 150 W and the rheostat limit is 300 W

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Practice

 What are the major parameters that influence the power

generation of a PV module?
 Irradiance, spectral range, temperature range
 Discuss some advantages/disadvantages of using a resistor-
based rheostats.
 They’re slower and less accurate, but are also less expensive

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35
Practice Cont’d

 What types of light sources are used in PV performance

measurements?
 Natural light, indoor (flash/continuous simulators)
 Discuss the effects of irradiance and temperature on
energy generation in PV modules.
 Energy generation increases as irradiance increases (positive
slope) and decreases as temperature increases (negative
slope).

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Summary – Key Points

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Summary – Key Points Cont’d

 Series strings of PV modules are connected in parallel to

build current and power output

 I-V curve tracer usefulness

 If there is a change in power (for example, due to a bad cell
among good cells in a module), then ammeter or voltmeter
cannot detect the issue

Slide
38