On the Reliability of Photovoltaic Short-Circuit Current Temperature Coefficient Measurements

Carl R. Osterwald; Mark Campanelli; George J. Kelly; Rafell Williams

doi:10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355842

On the Reliability of Photovoltaic Short-Circuit Current Temperature Coefficient Measurements

Carl R. Osterwald, Mark Campanelli, George J. Kelly, Rafell Williams

Chemistry and Nanoscience

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

14 Scopus Citations

Abstract

The changes in short-circuit current of photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules with temperature are routinely modeled through a single parameter, the temperature coefficient (TC). This parameter is vital for the translation equations used in system sizing, yet in practice is very difficult to measure. In this paper, we discuss these inherent problems and demonstrate how they can introduce unacceptably large errors in PV ratings. A method for quantifying the spectral dependence of TCs is derived, and then used to demonstrate that databases of module parameters commonly contain values that are physically unreasonable. Possible ways to reduce measurement errors are also discussed.

Original language	American English
Number of pages	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355842 https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355842
State	Published - 14 Dec 2015
Event	42nd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2015 - New Orleans, United States Duration: 14 Jun 2015 → 19 Jun 2015

Conference

Conference	42nd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2015
Country/Territory	United States
City	New Orleans
Period	14/06/15 → 19/06/15

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 IEEE.

NREL Publication Number

NREL/CP-5J00-63585

Keywords

photovoltaic cells
photovoltaic databases
photovoltaic modules
short-circuit current
temperature coefficient

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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title = "On the Reliability of Photovoltaic Short-Circuit Current Temperature Coefficient Measurements",

abstract = "The changes in short-circuit current of photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules with temperature are routinely modeled through a single parameter, the temperature coefficient (TC). This parameter is vital for the translation equations used in system sizing, yet in practice is very difficult to measure. In this paper, we discuss these inherent problems and demonstrate how they can introduce unacceptably large errors in PV ratings. A method for quantifying the spectral dependence of TCs is derived, and then used to demonstrate that databases of module parameters commonly contain values that are physically unreasonable. Possible ways to reduce measurement errors are also discussed.",

keywords = "photovoltaic cells, photovoltaic databases, photovoltaic modules, short-circuit current, temperature coefficient",

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doi = "10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355842",

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AU - Osterwald, Carl R.

AU - Campanelli, Mark

AU - Kelly, George J.

AU - Williams, Rafell

PY - 2015/12/14

Y1 - 2015/12/14

N2 - The changes in short-circuit current of photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules with temperature are routinely modeled through a single parameter, the temperature coefficient (TC). This parameter is vital for the translation equations used in system sizing, yet in practice is very difficult to measure. In this paper, we discuss these inherent problems and demonstrate how they can introduce unacceptably large errors in PV ratings. A method for quantifying the spectral dependence of TCs is derived, and then used to demonstrate that databases of module parameters commonly contain values that are physically unreasonable. Possible ways to reduce measurement errors are also discussed.

AB - The changes in short-circuit current of photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules with temperature are routinely modeled through a single parameter, the temperature coefficient (TC). This parameter is vital for the translation equations used in system sizing, yet in practice is very difficult to measure. In this paper, we discuss these inherent problems and demonstrate how they can introduce unacceptably large errors in PV ratings. A method for quantifying the spectral dependence of TCs is derived, and then used to demonstrate that databases of module parameters commonly contain values that are physically unreasonable. Possible ways to reduce measurement errors are also discussed.

KW - photovoltaic cells

KW - photovoltaic databases

KW - photovoltaic modules

KW - short-circuit current

KW - temperature coefficient

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84961620963&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355842

DO - 10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355842

M3 - Paper

AN - SCOPUS:84961620963

T2 - 42nd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2015

Y2 - 14 June 2015 through 19 June 2015

ER -

On the Reliability of Photovoltaic Short-Circuit Current Temperature Coefficient Measurements

Abstract

Conference

Bibliographical note

NREL Publication Number

Keywords

UN SDGs

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