Performance of Si-based PV rooftop systems operated under distinct four seasons. (September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Myong, Seung Yeop; Park, You-Chul; Jeon, Sang Won
• Is Part Of: Renewable energy. Volume 81(2015)
• Page Start: 482
• Page End: 489
• Publication Date: 2015-09
• Subjects: Amorphous silicon photovoltaic generator -- Crystalline silicon photovoltaic generator -- Electrical energy yield -- Nominal rated power -- Tilt angle; Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Periodicals; Énergies renouvelables -- Périodiques; Ressources énergétiques -- Périodiques; 333.794
• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2015.03.055
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-1481

Abstract

Abstract: We have investigated the electrical energy yield of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) single-junction and crystalline (c-Si) photovoltaic (PV) rooftop systems operated under distinct four seasons. The impact of the module type and installed tilt angle on the annual electrical energy yield has been monitored and then compared with the data predicted by the computer simulation. Despite a good temperature coefficient and less shading effect of a-Si:H single-junction modules, the energy output gain of the a-Si:H single-junction PV generator is only 2.7% compared to the c-Si PV generator installed using c-Si PV modules. It is inferred that a nominal rated power of the a-Si:H single-junction modules determined by an indoor light soaking test is not suitable for the design of PV systems operated under distinct four seasons. Thus, the nominal rated power of the a-Si:H single-junction PV modules should be determined through a proper outdoor exposure test considering thermal annealing and light soaking effects under various seasonal weather conditions. In addition, it is found that the performance of the Si-based PV rooftop systems operated under distinct four seasons could be improved by simply toggling the tilt angle considering the plane-of-array irradiance and snowfall effect. Highlights: We investigate the performance of Si-based PV rooftop systems operated under distinct 4 seasons. All simulated data of PV systems via PVsyst show considerably similar trends to measured data. The energy output gain of the a-Si:H PV generator is only 2.7% compared to the c-Si PV generator. The rated power of a-Si:H modules should be determined through the proper outdoor exposure. The performance of Si-based PV systems could be improved by simply toggling the tilt angle.