The effect of operating-point-control strategy on the annual energy production of degraded photovoltaic arrays

Conference · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982 · Conf. Rec. IEEE Photovoltaic Spec. Conf.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5489941

Branz, H M

A new computer simulation of the annual operation of degraded flat-plate photovoltaic (PV) arrays is used to evaluate the need for maximum-power-point tracking in real PV systems. The simulations are based on single-glitch I-V curve shapes rather than particular array degradations, making the data reported applicable to any system whose likely failure modes are predictable and result in single-glitch I-V curves. The simulations show that with a reasonable array wiring strategy, effective maintenance, periodic I-V curve tracing, and avoidance of frequent and serious array shadowing, there is no reason that considerations of degradation should force the adoption of maximum-power-point-tracking power conditioning on a PV system that would otherwise operate economically at fixed voltage.

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA
• OSTI ID: 5489941
• Report Number(s): CONF-820906-
• Journal Information: Conf. Rec. IEEE Photovoltaic Spec. Conf.; (United States), Conference: 16. IEEE photovoltaics specialists conference, San Diego, CA, USA, 28 Sep 1982
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CONTROL
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
FAILURE MODE ANALYSIS
FLAT PLATE COLLECTORS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERSION
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
MAINTENANCE
OPERATION
POWER CONDITIONING CIRCUITS
THERMAL DEGRADATION
WIRES
CONVERSION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
ECONOMICS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
ENERGY CONVERSION
EQUIPMENT
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SIMULATION
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SYSTEM FAILURE ANALYSIS
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion