I-V CHARACTERISTICS OF

SOLAR PANEL
 GROUP MEMBERS:

NAME PRN ROLL NUMBER EMAIL.ID BATCH

NUMBER
ASIT KORDE 22210937 852 asit.22210937@viit.ac.in H3
OM RANADE 22211145 862 om.22211145@viit.ac.in H3
ADITYA WATTAMWAR 22211337 867 aditya.22211337@viit.ac.in H3
ADITYA INGALE 22211546 873 aditya.22211546@viit.ac.in H3
RUGVED BORGAONKAR 22211562 874 rugved.22211562@viit.ac.in H3
WHAT IS A SOLAR CELL AND HOW DOES IT WORK
• A solar cell consists of a layer of p-type silicon placed next to a layer of n-type
silicon (Fig. 1). In the n-type layer, there is an excess of electrons, and in the p-
type layer, there is an excess of positively charged holes (which are vacancies
due to the lack of valence electrons).
• Near the junction of the two layers, the electrons on one side of the junction (n-
type layer) move into the holes on the other side of the junction (p-type layer).
This creates an area around the junction, called the depletion zone, in which the
electrons fill the holes
• When all the holes are filled with electrons in the depletion zone, the p-type side
of the depletion zone (where holes were initially present) now contains negatively
charged ions, and the n-type side of the depletion zone (where electrons were
present) now contains positively charged ions. The presence of these oppositely
charged ions creates an internal electric field that prevents electrons in the n-type
layer to fill holes in the p-type layer.
Om Ranade, Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, VIIT, Pune-48
When sunlight strikes a solar cell, electrons in the silicon are ejected, which results in
the formation of “holes”—the vacancies left behind by the escaping electrons. If
this happens in the electric field, the field will move electrons to the n-type layer
and holes to the p-type layer. If you connect the n-type and p-type layers with a
metallic wire, the electrons will travel from the n-type layer to the p-type layer by
crossing the depletion zone and then go through the external wire back of the n-
type layer, creating a flow of electricity.

Om Ranade, Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, VIIT, Pune-48

• The I-V (current-voltage) characteristics of a solar panel under different lighting
conditions experiment is used to study the behavior of a solar panel when exposed
to different levels of light intensity. The I-V curve provides information on the
amount of electrical power that can be generated by the solar panel with varying
levels of light.

• Materials:

 Solar panel

 Potentiometer

 Multimeter (for measuring voltage and current)

 Artificial light source (e.g. lamp or LED)

 Lux meter

Asit Korde, Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, VIIT, Pune-48

 PROCEDURE
• Set up the experiment in a well-lit laboratory or room with no direct sunlight.

• Connect the solar panel to the potentiometer and the multimeter, as follows:
 Connect one end of the potentiometer to the positive terminal of the solar panel.
 Connect the other end of the potentiometer to the negative terminal of the solar
panel.
 Connect the multimeter in series with the potentiometer and solar panel, to
measure the current flowing through the circuit.

• Place the artificial light source at a distance from the solar panel, ensuring that the light
falls evenly on the panel.

• Turn on the artificial light source and measure the intensity of the light using a lux
meter.

• Adjust the distance and intensity of the light until the desired light intensity is obtained
on the lux meter.

Aditya Ingle, Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, VIIT, Pune-48

• Adjust the potentiometer to its maximum resistance value, which will result in
minimal current flow.

• Gradually decrease the resistance value of the potentiometer, while measuring the
voltage and current at each step.

• Record the voltage and current readings at each resistance value, and calculate the
power output (P = V x I) for each combination of voltage and current.

• Plot the I-V curve, with current on the y-axis and voltage on the x-axis.

• Repeat steps 4 to 9 for different light intensities, as measured by the lux meter.

• Analyze the I-V curves obtained under different lighting conditions, and compare
the power output and maximum power point of the solar panel.

Aditya Ingle, Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, VIIT, Pune-48

Om Ranade, Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, VIIT, Pune-48
Om Ranade, Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, VIIT, Pune-48
 SOLAR CELL IV GRAPH EXPLANATION

Aditya Wattamwar, Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, VIIT, Pune-48

• The behavior of an illuminated solar cell can be characterized by an I-V curve.
Interconnecting several solar cells in series or in parallel merely to form Solar Panels
increases the overall voltage and/or current but does not change the shape of the I-V
curve.
• The I-V curve contains three significant points: Maximum Power Point, MPP (representing
both Vmpp and Impp), the Open Circuit Voltage (Voc), and the Short Circuit Current (Isc).
• The operating point (I, V) corresponds to a point on the power-voltage (P-V) curve, For
generating the highest power output at a given irradiance and temperature, the
operating point should such correspond to the maximum of the (P-V) curve, which is called
the maximum power point (MPP) defined by (Impp* Vmpp). If a PV module (or array) is
directly connected to an electrical load, the operating point is dictated by that load.
• For getting the maximal power out of the module, it thus is imperative to force the module
to operate at the maximum power point.

Aditya Wattamwar, Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, VIIT, Pune-48

• The simplest way of forcing the module to operate at the MPP, is either to force the
voltage of the PV module to be that at the MPP (called Vmpp) or to regulate the
current to be that of the MPP (called Impp).

• However, the MPP is dependent on the ambient conditions. If the irradiance or

temperature change, the I-V and the P-V characteristics will change as well and
hence the position of the MPP will shift. Therefore, changes in the I-V curve must be
tracked continuously such that the operating point can be adjusted to be at the MPP
after changes of the ambient conditions.

• This process is called Maximum Power Point Tracking or MPPT. The devices that
perform this process are called MPP trackers and are integral part of the charge
controllers in Solar PV installations.

Aditya Wattamwar, Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, VIIT, Pune-48

 WHY DOES CURRENT DECREASE IN SOLAR CELL
GRAPH?
. Recombination: When light strikes the solar cell, it creates electron-hole pairs,
and these pairs are separated by the built-in electric field of the solar cell,
generating a current. However, in the presence of defects and impurities in the
material, some of the electrons and holes can recombine, reducing the number of
charge carriers available for current generation.

. Series resistance: The flow of current in a solar cell is affected by the resistance
of the material that makes up the cell. This resistance, known as series resistance,
can cause a voltage drop across the cell, reducing the current.

. Shunt resistance: The shunt resistance of a solar cell is the resistance between the
front and back contacts of the cell. It determines the leakage current that flows
across the cell, reducing the current generated by the solar cell.

Aditya Wattamwar, Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, VIIT, Pune-48

• Saturation current: At high illumination levels, the current generated by a solar
cell may approach a maximum value known as the saturation current. At this
point, the current does not increase proportionally with the illumination level,
leading to a gradual decrease in the current as the illumination level
increases.

• Overall, the decrease in current at a given intensity of light in a solar cell IV

graph is due to a combination of these factors, and it represents the
limitations of the solar cell in converting light energy into electrical energy

Aditya Wattamwar, Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, VIIT, Pune-48

 CONCLUSION

• Measuring the electrical characteristics of a solar cell is critical for

determining the device’s output performance and efficiency.
• Key measurements include maximum current and voltage, open-
circuit voltage, short-circuit current, and efficiency.
• SMUs can simplify solar cell testing by automating the I-V
measurements and pulling together results for easy display and
analysis.

Rugved Borgaonkar, Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, VIIT, Pune-48

 FUTURE SCOPE

• The IV (current-voltage) characteristics of solar panels under different lighting conditions are an
important factor to consider in the design and optimization of photovoltaic systems. Here are some
potential future developments in this area.
• Advanced modeling and simulation: As computing power and simulation techniques improve, more
accurate and detailed models can be developed to predict the IV characteristics of solar panels
under different lighting conditions. This can help optimize panel design and placement for
maximum energy output.
• More precise measurement techniques: Improvements in measurement techniques, such as high-
resolution infrared imaging, can provide more precise data on the IV characteristics of solar
panels under different lighting conditions. This can help identify and diagnose performance issues
in existing systems.

Rugved Borgaonkar, Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, VIIT, Pune-48