ELEC5206 SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS

Semester 2, 2011

Lab 1 Electrical Characteristics of Photovoltaic Cells

Aims

Learn the properties of a photovoltaic (PV) panel including its equivalent circuit;
Test I-V and P-V characteristics for a photovoltaic module;
Determine the optimal conditions for operating a PV panel in a circuit with a known load
and understand MPPT (maximum power point tracking);
Investigate the effects of solar insolation, shading, and tilting angle on a solar panel through
the I-V characteristic measurement.

Overview
Incident sunlight can be converted into electricity by photovoltaic conversion using a solar panel.
A solar panel consists of individual cells that are large-area semiconductor diodes, constructed so
that light can penetrate into the region of the p-n junction. The junction formed between the n-type
silicon wafer and the p-type surface layer governs the diode characteristics as well as the
photovoltaic effect. Light is absorbed in the silicon, generating both excess holes and electrons.
These excess charges can flow through an external circuit to produce power.
Photons
Electrons

n-type
V

p-type
I

External load
(e.g. battery,
lights, motor)

Id

ISC

Id

V
I

External load
(e.g. battery,
lights, motor)

Id = I0 (eAVd-1)
I0
Vd

Figure 1. Equivalent Circuit of a Solar Cell

Figure 1 shows the equivalent circuit to describe a solar cell. The diode current I d I 0 (e AVd 1)
comes from the standard I-V equation for a diode, and is also illustrated in the Figure 1. It is clear
that the current I that flows to the external circuit is
(1)
I I SC I 0 (e AVd 1)
where ISC is short circuit current, I0 is the reverse saturation current of the diode, and A is
temperature-dependent constant, A=q/kT [1]. If the solar cell is open circuited, then all of the ISC
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ELEC5206 SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS

Semester 2, 2011

flows through the diode and produces an open circuit voltage Voc of about 0.5-0.6V. If the solar
cell is short circuited, then no current flows through the diode, and all of the short-circuit current
ISC flows through the short circuit.
Since the Voc for one solar cell is approximately 0.5-0.6V, then individual cells are connected in
series as a solar panel to produce more usable voltage and power output levels. Most solar
panels are made to charge 12V batteries and consist of 36 individual cells (or units) in series to
yield panel Voc 18-20V. The voltage for maximum panel power output is usually about 16-17V.
Each 0.5-0.6V series unit can contain a number of individual cells in parallel, thereby increasing
the total panel surface area and power generating capability.
Pm
Power (W)

Current (A)

Power
Current

ISC
Im

Maximum power
point (MPP)

0
0

Vm

VOC

Voltage (V)

Figure 2. I-V Characteristics of Solar Panel

Figure 2 illustrates the I-V curve and power output of a solar panel. If no load is connected with
solar panel which is sitting in the sun, an open circuit voltage Voc will be produced but no current
follows. If the terminals of the solar panel are shorted together, the short-circuit current ISC will
flow but the output voltage will be zero. In both cases, no power is delivered by the solar panel.
When a load is connected, we need to consider the I-V curve of the panel and the I-V curve of the
load to figure out how much power can be delivered to the load. The maximum power point
(MPP) is the spot near the knee of the I-V curve, and the voltage and current at the MPP are
designated as Vm and Im. For a particular load, the maximum point is changing as the I-V curve is
varying with the temperature, insolation, and shading. Because solar power is relatively expensive,
it is important to operate panels at their maximum power conditions. In fact DC-DC converters are
often used to match the load resistance to the Thevenin equivalent resistance of the panel to
maximize the power drawn from the panel. These smart converters are often referred to as
tracking converters.
Safety and Warning - Electrical Shocks and Burn Hazards
Photovoltaic (PV) modules generate electricity when exposed to light, even when they are not
connected in a circuit. Shocks and burns can result from contacts with output wiring and module
itself. These hazards are increased when multiple modules are interconnected to increase array
output current or voltage.

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ELEC5206 SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS

Semester 2, 2011

Cover module front surfaces completely with an opaque cloth or other opaque material before
performing any operation involving the module or electrical connections. Use appropriate safety
equipment (insulated tools, insulating gloves, etc.) and procedures.
Put sun cream to protect your skin from exposing to the sunlight when testing PV panels.
Experimental Setup

Variable
resistive load

Solar
l

Material

A photovoltaic panel (BP Solar 10W, 12V)

A solar panel rack (support and change positions of a PV panel)

2 multimeters (or an ammeter and a voltmeter) or a AVO meter

Insulated wires with alligator clips or other cables

A resistor panel (1, 4.7, 10, 22, 32, 47, 51, 82, 100, 220, 10W)
Experimental Work
1. Measure V-I characteristic of the PV panel at a certain condition (such as weather, date,
and angle of the panel):
Begin with short-circuit: Short the output terminals of the PV panel with a wire.
Measure the short circuit current and panel output voltage. The panel voltage will be
small for this case. Record both the voltage and current in the table below.
Connect the heavy-duty variable resistors to the panel, starting from lower resistance to
higher one so that the panel voltage increases from zero toward open circuit. Measure
the voltage and current for each resistor and record them in the table below.
Measure the voltage and current when the panel is open-circuit. Record the panel
voltage and current in the table.
Use the data recorded in the table to plot I versus V manually.
2. Repeat step 1 in two very different sunlights, i.e. different weathers or different time of a
day.
3. Repeat the step 1, and measure V-I curves at different tilting angles of the solar panel.
What is your best tilting angle to track the maximum power?
4. Repeat the step 1, measure V-I curves when shading 1-2 cells of the panel.
5. Using Excel to plot V-I and P-V (P = V I) curves of the solar panel. Visually estimate
Vm, Im, and Pmax (i.e., peak power conditions) from your plots. At what load the solar
panel will delivery the maximum power?
6. Work out the I0 and A in equation (1) from the measured V-I curve for one of measuring
conditions (note: do not use temperature to calculate A. I0 and A have to be worked out
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ELEC5206 SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS

Semester 2, 2011

from measured V and I data). Given q = 1.602 10-19C, and k = 1.381 10-23J/K. [Hint:
Due to the complex calculation you may need to use mathematic program such as
MATLAB to help you with the calculation].
Table sample for recording of measurement

Weather:
Temperature:
Tilt Angle:
Time:
Voltage
(V)
Current
(A)
Load Resistance ()
0 (S.C)
1
4.7
10
22
32
47
51
82
100
220
Inf. (O.C)

Shading:
Power (W)

Experimental Report
In a technical report the results should be summarized and analyzed in which covers the following:

Yourself and your group members

Experiment date, time, weather and other experimental conditions

Experimental approach, procedure, devices, setup and actual tasks

Experiment results, including data, graphs, and calculations

Analysis and explanations of experiment results, comparisons, observations, and comments

Some photos of the experimental setup

The original technical diary and the plagiarism coversheet from the school of EIE should be
attached to a report. This lab will be assessed based on a group report and accounts for 2% of the
UoS.

Reference
[1] Gilbert M. Masters, Renewable and Efficient Electric Power System, Wiley, 2004

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