The Mechanism of the Semi-Transparent Coverings Affecting the Power Generation Capacity of the Photovoltaic Module and Array

Yingfeng Li (), Zhihan Liu, Dongxue Liu, Zixuan Wang, Yongshuai Gong, Wenxiang Gao, Yingjian Liu, Jiayuan An and Meicheng Li ()
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Yingfeng Li: State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
Zhihan Liu: State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
Dongxue Liu: Three Gorges Corporation, Institute of Science and Technology, Beijing 100038, China
Zixuan Wang: State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
Yongshuai Gong: Three Gorges Corporation, Institute of Science and Technology, Beijing 100038, China
Wenxiang Gao: State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
Yingjian Liu: State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
Jiayuan An: State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
Meicheng Li: State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 7, 1-11

Abstract: Shading on photovoltaic (PV) modules due to shadows, covering, dust, etc., usually characterized as semi-transparent, will significantly affect the power generation capacity. No systematic study has considered the impact of semi-transparent coverings on the power generation capacity of PV modules. This paper covers a single cell in the PV module using a covering with a transmittance of 18.55% and systematically investigates its impact on the power generation capacity. The open-circuit voltage ( V oc ) of the PV module is nearly unaffected by semi-transparent coverings because the covered cell can be considered as working at a lower irradiance and thus can output a voltage close to that of the uncovered cell. The short-circuit current ( I sc ) is significantly affected by coverings because it is co-contributed by the photocurrent (evaluated based on the covering ratio R and transmittance) and the reverse bias current Δ I sc (the covered cell is in a reverse bias state). The Δ I sc increases with R because more charge accumulates at the bi-ends of the covered cell; but, it decreases at full covering, which implies that in a partially covered case the uncovered part contributes more to Δ I sc than the covered part. The fill factor ( FF ) of the PV module first increases and then decreases with R , as the equivalent resistance of the covered cell increases rapidly with R , which replaces the wire resistance in dominating the series resistance of the PV module when R > 0.6. This work is of great theoretical significance in analyzing the output characteristics of PV modules under real conditions.

Keywords: semi-transparent covering; photovoltaic modules; power generation capacity; reverse bias current (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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