In-situ comparison of thermal measurement technologies for interpretation of PV module temperature de-rating effects

Teri Elwood; Whit Bennett; Teh Lai; Kelly Simmons-Potter

doi:10.1117/12.2237934

26 September 2016 In-situ comparison of thermal measurement technologies for interpretation of PV module temperature de-rating effects

Teri Elwood, Whit Bennett, Teh Lai, Kelly Simmons-Potter

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9938, Reliability of Photovoltaic Cells, Modules, Components, and Systems IX; 99380Q (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2237934
Event: SPIE Optics + Photonics for Sustainable Energy, 2016, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

It is well known that the efficiency of a photovoltaic (PV) module is strongly impacted by its temperature such that higher temperatures lead to lower energy conversion efficiencies. An accurate measurement of the temperature de-rating effect, therefore, is vital to the correct interpretation of PV module performance under varied environmental conditions. The current work investigates and compares methods for performing measurements of module temperature both in the lab and in field-test environments. A comparison of several temperature measurement devices was made in order to establish the ideal sensor configuration for quantifying module operating temperature. Sensors were also placed in various locations along a string of up to eight photovoltaic modules to examine the variance in operating temperature with position in the string and within a larger array of strings.

Citation Download Citation

Teri Elwood, Whit Bennett, Teh Lai, and Kelly Simmons-Potter "In-situ comparison of thermal measurement technologies for interpretation of PV module temperature de-rating effects", Proc. SPIE 9938, Reliability of Photovoltaic Cells, Modules, Components, and Systems IX, 99380Q (26 September 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2237934

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