Comprehensive performance assessment of two grid-tied photovoltaic systems in a hot arid climate: A three-year theoretical and experimental analysis

Layachi Zaghba, Messaouda Khennane Benbitour, Amor Fezzani, Saad Mekhilef and Abdelhalim Borni

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2025, vol. 216, issue C

Abstract: This study presents the outcomes of a comparative performance evaluation of two PV systems connected to the grid with different technologies and mounting configurations following three years of operation in a hot and arid environment. The two systems were placed at the Applied Research Unit for Renewable Energy in Ghardaia, located in the central Sahara of Algeria. The first system consisted of a fixed a-Si/μc-Si PV system mounted on the rooftop car park. While the second system featured a pc-Si PV system mounted on a dual-axis sun tracker. The two PV station monitoring was conducted from January 2018 to December 2020. PV station performance variables such as final yield, reference yield, array yield, system losses, array capture losses, cell temperature losses, PV module efficiency, system efficiency, inverter efficiency, performance ratio, and capacity factor were all assessed. These factors were assessed on a monthly average daily. yearly. and seasonal basis. The simulation outcomes derived from Matlab Simulink. PVSyst, and PVGIS application are compared with the practical results of the two identical grid-tied PV systems employing different sun-tracking mechanisms and solar cell technologies. The findings of this study reveal a close alignment between the experimental data derived from the PV plant output and the predicted data generated by the PVSyst and PVGIS tools. In the years 2018, 2019, and 2020, the final annual yields for the fixed a-Si/μc-Si PV system and the dual-axis p-Si system were determined as follows: 3.86 kWh/kWp/6.68 kWh/kWp. 3.82 kWh/kWp/6.92 kWh/kWp. and 3.77 kWh/kWp/6.88 kWh/kWp. respectively. The annual performance ratios for the a-Si/μc-Si and 2-axis p-Si systems were observed to be 80.9 %–72.84 %. 79.96 %–75.35 %. and 79.22 %–74.9 % for the rooftop car park station and the twin-axis sun tracker PV plant during 2018. 2019, and 2020. respectively. Additionally, an economic analysis revealed that the payback period ranged from approximately 9 to 17 years.

Keywords: PV system performance; PV cell technologies; PV in arid climates; PV system mounting topologies; Season study; Economic study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2025.115643

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