Photovoltaic background, technology
The photovoltaic effect
This is the ability to transform solar energy into electricity and is achieved by using photovoltaic (PV) cells.
A PV cell (see Fig. P1 ) is capable of generating voltage of between 0.5 V and 2 V depending on the materials used and a current directly dependent on the surface area (5 or 6 inch cells).
Fig. P1: Photovoltaic cell manufactured in a silicon plate (source: Photowatt)
Its characteristics are shown in a current/voltage graph as shown inFigure 2.
Fig. P2: Typical characteristic of a photovoltaic cell
The photovoltaic effect is dependent on two physical values (see Fig. P3)
– irradiance and temperature:
- As irradiance E (Wm²) increases, so does the current produced by the cell
- Conversely, as the temperature (T°) increases, the output voltage decreases.
In order to compare the performance of different cells, the standard has set out Standard Test Conditions (STC) for irradiance of 1000 W/m2 at 25°C.
increases the power generated by the cell decreases the power generated by the cell
MPP : Maximum Power Point
Fig. P3: Irradiance and temperature influence the photovoltaic effect
To make it easier to use energy generated by photovoltaic cells, manufacturers offer serial and/or parallel combinations grouped into panels or modules.
Photovoltaic modules
These combinations of cells (see Fig. P4) enable the voltage and current to be increased. To optimise the characteristics of the modules, these are made up of cells with similar electrical characteristics.
Fig. P4: PW1400 photovoltaic module dimensions:1237 x 1082 x 45 mm (source: Photowatt)
Each module providing a voltage of several tens of volts is classified by its power level measured in Watt peak (Wp).This relates to the power produced by a surface area of one m2 exposed to irradiation of 1000 W/m2 at 25°C. However, identical modules may produce different levels of power so the common standard variation for power is ±3% (see table in Figure P5). Modules with typical power of 160 Wp include all modules with power of between 155 Wp (160 -3%) and 165 Wp (160 +3%).
It is therefore necessary to compare their efficiency which is calculated by dividing their power (W/m2) by 1000 W/m2.
For example, for a module of 160 Wp with a surface area of 1.338m2 (*), the peak power is 160/1.338 which gives 120 Wp/m2.
Therefore the efficiency of this module is: 120/1000 = 12%.
