Solar PV Rooftop Training Entrepreneurship Development Solar PV Modules

1. Partnership To Advance Clean Energy-Deployment (PACE-D)
Technical Assistance Program
Presented by
USAID PACE-D TA Program
Apr-18
Solar PV Rooftop Training Program For Entrepreneurs
Session:
Solar PV Modules

2. Contents
Types of Solar PV modules
Standard test conditions and module peak watt (Wp)
Module I-V characteristics
Module power characteristics

3. Contents
Factors affecting the performance of Solar PV modules
Module electrical protection
Standards and safety of solar PV modules
PV module specification in data sheet

4. Components of Solar PV Rooftop System – PV
Arrays
The solar photovoltaic technology is evolving and different technologies have been
emerged in recent years. The key features of the following types of PV modules
which are commercially available at present global market will be discussed.
 Mono-crystalline PV module
 Polycrystalline modules
 Amorphous thin film module
 Multi junction amorphous thin film module
 CdTe thin film module
 CIGS thin film module

5. TYPES OF SOLAR PV MODULES

6. Monocrystalline
 Cells manufactured from wafers cut
from an ingot of a single silicon
crystal
 Module efficiency: 15 - 22%
 Module Area: 6.5 – 4.6m2 per kWp
 Performance Guarantee: 80% of rated
power at the end of 20/25 years
 Suitable for most applications
 Available in wide range of capacity

7. Polycrystalline
 Cells manufactured from wafers cut
from an ingot of a several silicon
crystals
 Module efficiency: 14 – 16.7%
 Module Area: 7.0 – 6.0 m2 per kWp
 Performance Guarantee: 80% of rated
output for 20/25 years
 Suitable for most applications
 Available in wide range of capacity

8. Amorphous Thin Film
 Silicon deposited by gaseous
deposition
 Module efficiency: 5 - 10%
 Module Area: 20 -10 m2 per kWp
 Performance Guarantee: 80% of rated
output for 20/25 years
 Usually glass-to-glass modules
 Performance Guarantee: 80% of rated
output for 20/25 years
 Generally more suitable for small
applications and BIPV

9. Multi-Junction Amorphous
 Silicon deposited by gaseous
deposition method in several layers,
creating multi-junction cells which
are sensitive to a wider light
spectrum
 Module efficiency: 10 - 12%
 Module Area: 10 – 8 m2 per kWp
 Performance Guarantee: 80% of rated
output for 20/25 years.
 Can be advantageous in conditions of
diffuse radiation, BIPV application

10. CdTe Thin Film
 CdTe modules use a
thin semiconductor layer designed to
absorb and convert sunlight into
electricity
 Module efficiency: 12 - 13%
 Module Area: 8 – 7.5m2 per kWp
 Performance Guarantee: 80% of rated
output for 20/25 years
 Maximum capacity of single module
<100Wp

11. CIGS Thin Film
 It is manufactured by depositing a
thin layer of copper, indium, gallium
and selenide on glass or plastic
backing, along with electrodes on the
front and back to collect current
 Module efficiency: 10 – 13%
 Module Area: 10 – 7.5m2 per kWp
 Performance Guarantee: 80% of rated
output for 20/25 years
 Maximum capacity of single
commercial module: <170Wp

12. Standard Test Conditions (STC) & Module Peak
Watt
 Photovoltaic modules are rated in Peak Watts (Wp)
 The peak wattage of a solar module is determined under the following standard
test conditions (STC)
– Cell temperature 25˚C
– Irradiance of 1000W/m2
– Air mass of 1.5
 Approximate Cell temperature (Tcell) = Tair + 25ºC

13. Normal Operating Cell Temperature (NOCT)
Normal Operating Cell Temperature (NOCT) has the following reference conditions:
 Ambient air temperature 20˚C
 Irradiance of 800W/m2
 Wind speed 1m/s
 Electrically open circuit

14. Module I-V Characteristics
The performance of a solar module is best indicated by its current-voltage (I-V)
characteristics

15. Module Power Characteristics
The power generated by a solar cell will reach the maximum when the internal
resistance of the cell is equal to the resistance of the load and is known as the
maximum power point (MPP) or PMAX

16. FACTORS AFFECTING THE PERFORMANCE OF SOLAR PV MODULES

17. Factors Affecting the Performance of Solar PV
Modules
Quality of PV Cell
Quality of Module
Production
Solar Irradiance
Operating Temperature Light Spectral Content
Efficiency and performance of Solar PV Modules primarily depend on:

18. Factors Affecting the Performance of Solar PV
Modules
Short circuit current of solar module is directly proportional to solar radiation

19. Factors Affecting the Performance of Solar PV
Modules
As cell operating temperature increases Open Circuit Voltage decreases
and short circuit current increases marginally
Cell
Operating
Temperature

20. Module Electrical Protection – Use of Bypass Diode
 If one cell is damaged then the rest of
the array can force current through it,
producing a significant temperature
rise in the cell and leading to further
damage
 This phenomenon is called as “hot
spot” formation
 As per IEC 62548, PV system with
voltages above 50V DC should
include a bypass diode

21. Module Electrical Protection – Use of Blocking
Diode
 Blocking diodes (series or isolation
diodes) conduct current during
normal system operation and are
placed in series with a module /
string / array
 It’s main purpose is to prevent
current from flowing backwards
through the modules at nigh and
prevent current flowing into a faulty
parallel string

22. IEC 62548: Photovoltaic (PV) array design requirements specify that
 Crystalline silicon PV modules shall comply with IEC 61215
 Thin film PV modules shall comply with IEC 61646
 Systems with voltages above 50 V DC should include bypass diodes
 Class A modules according to IEC 61730-1 shall be used where system voltages exceed
DVC-A (Refer Table E1 at Annex E of IEC 62548)
 Class C modules according to IEC 61730-1 may be used where voltages are in the
DVC-A range (Refer Table E1 at Annex E of IEC 62548)
 Class B Modules shall not be used in grid connected PV systems
Standards and Safety Class of Solar PV Modules

23. PV Module Specification in Data Sheet

24. PV Module Specification in Data Sheet

25. 25
Anurag Mishra
Senior Clean Energy Specialist
USAID/India
Email: amishra@usaid.gov
Disclaimer:
This training material is made possible by the support of the American
People through the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID). The contents of this material are the sole
responsibility of Nexant, Inc. and do not necessarily reflect the views of
USAID or the United States Government. This material was prepared
under Contract Number AID-386-C-12-00001.