Building an effective meteorological station for solar PV
Weather conditions have a huge influence on photovoltaic output. Even intermittent cloud cover can have a dramatic effect on incident solar energy, while other factors like air temperature, wind direction and speed, precipitation, humidity, and air pressure can all influence the efficiency of solar cells. Monitoring weather conditions accurately is crucial to understand variations in PV plant performance.
Thermal model to predict PV panel temperature
Scientists in Turkey have tested a transient thermal model to predict PV module temperature during a five-day interval in June. The model considers the heat capacity of a PV module, which is usually not provided by manufacturers in their product sheets, as a parameter for temperature prediction.
How temperature affects tandem solar cell performance
New outdoor tests conducted at Saudi research center King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have shown that an increase in temperature affects the performance of a tandem perovskite/silicon solar cell not only because of voltage losses but also because of current mismatch between the two sub-cells.
Wind direction and tilt angle approach to keeping panels cool
A technique proposed by scientists in the United Stated could raise solar plant output 5% and decrease panel degradation by more than 0.3% per year, according to the researchers. The approach is based on wind direction and speed, and module inclination.
Integrating stress and temperature sensors in crystalline silicon cells
Fraunhofer ISE researchers have integrated stress and temperature sensors within a PV module. They claim that the devices cover a very minimal part of the cells, and that their interaction with the module and the cell itself is quite limited. The sensors can be manufactured as part of a regular cell manufacturing process.
