The Defining Positive Role of High Cell Temperature on the Performance of a Multicrystalline Solar Photovoltaic Module

Abstract

The Photovoltaic technology has shown remarkable development in last few years but still lot of research is required to increase the energy yield and reduce solar electricity cost. Even a small increase in energy yield can lead to improved photovoltaic power plant performance and significant reduction in solar generated electricity cost. Evaluating real time data for determining the plants performance plays significant role as it is the climatic conditions which directly affect the power output and evaluating the climatic conditions that can lead to increase the energy yield can bring revolution in the field of solar photovoltaic. This paper evaluates simultaneous effect and role of irradiance and cell temperature on the dc voltage, dc current and dc power, the key determinant of energy yield based on the real field data set of 5 MW grid connected Solar Photovoltaic power plant of Western Rajasthan. It brings forward for the first time ever that high cell temperature plays defining positive role in increasing the energy yield and consequently improving the plant's performance in contrast to literature and research papers.

The Defining Positive Role of High Cell Temperature on the Efficiency of a Multicrystalline Solar Photovoltaic Array

“…In summers both E 1 and E 2 increase with increase in POA and increase in cell temperature even as cell temperature increases up to 58. High V dc is obtained only at high cell temperature as mentioned by Garg and JB [14] and is also visible from figures 1,3,5,7,9,12,14,18,20,22,24,26,28  For spring season, the average cell temperature varies between 39-43 o C with average E 1 and E 2 varying between 7.20 to 7.40% and 42.52% to 43.71% respectively.…”

“…Positive effect of temperature on efficiency has been reported by few researchers [11,13]. Garg JB showed defining positive role of cell temperature on DC power and energy yield but effect on the solar cell conversion efficiency was not considered [14]. This paper presents visual representation of relative contribution of irradiance and cell temperature acting simultaneously on solar cell energy conversion efficiency (E 1 ) and DC power efficiency (E 2 ) and evaluates relative contribution and role of irradiance and cell temperature on E 1 and E 2 .…”