PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS BEE41503

CHAPTER 6:
Performance and Evaluation of GCPV System
SEM 1 2022 2023
Outline
• 6.1 Introduction
• 6.2 System Monitoring and Equipment
• 6.3 Key performance indices
Introduction
• Performance and evaluation of a GCPV system refers to the process of
measuring and assessing the performance of a grid-connected
photovoltaic system.
• This includes measuring and analyzing the amount of electricity that the
GCPV system is producing, evaluating the system's efficiency, and
determining the system's performance ratio and energy yield ratio.
• The performance of a GCPV system can be evaluated through various
measurements and calculations
Introduction
The performance and evaluation of a GCPV system can be determined through various measurements and
calculations, such as:
• Solar energy output: This is typically measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) and is used to determine the amount
of electricity that the GCPV system is producing.

• System efficiency: This is a measure of how well the GCPV system is converting sunlight into electricity. It is
typically measured as a percentage and can be calculated by dividing the output power of the GCPV system
by the input power of the sunlight.

• Performance ratio (PR): This is a measure of the performance of a GCPV system, which is determined by
dividing the actual electrical output of a GCPV system by its theoretical maximum output, based on the size
of the solar array and the solar irradiance at the location.

• Energy yield ratio (EYR): This is a measure of how much energy the GCPV system is producing relative to
how much energy it would produce if it were operating at its peak efficiency.

• Degradation rate: This refers to the rate at which the GCPV system's performance decreases over time. It's
typically measured in percent/year, and a lower rate indicates a better-performing system.
Introduction
• Performance and evaluation of a GCPV system is important for several reasons:

• Financial:
The performance of a GCPV system directly impacts the financial return on
investment (ROI) for the system's owners.
Measuring and monitoring the performance of a GCPV system can help identify any
issues that may be reducing the system's output and negatively impacting the ROI.

• Maintenance and Optimization:

By regularly monitoring and evaluating the performance of a GCPV system, it can help
to identify any issues with the system that may require maintenance, such as panel
cleaning or equipment repairs. This can help ensure that the system is operating at peak
efficiency, which can prolong the life of the equipment and maximize the energy
output.
Introduction
• Performance and evaluation of a GCPV system is important for several reasons:

• Compliance:
• Many countries have policies and regulations that require GCPV system owners to provide
performance data for their systems. This data can be used to evaluate the system's performance over
time, monitor compliance with regulations, and to ensure that the system is meeting the expected
performance standards.

• Research and Development:

• The performance data collected from GCPV systems also help in developing new technologies and
to improve existing ones, which can in turn help to make GCPV systems more efficient and cost-
effective, and so will help in expanding the use of renewable energy source.

• Climate change Mitigation:

• GCPV systems contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, by reducing the amount of fossil
fuel-based electricity that is consumed, and thus, it's important to evaluate the performance of the
GCPV systems, to know the extent of mitigation it is providing.
Introduction

MS1837:2018
MS2692:2020
System Monitoring and Equipment

• Monitoring PV Systems can be divided into 2 categories:

• 1. Global Monitoring
• 2. Analytical Monitoring
System Monitoring and Equipment
1. Global Monitoring
• Basic data gathering – using pen and paper, manually record in
computer/laptop.
• Collect and compiles gross daily/monthly values.
• Rarely uses automated logging facility.
• Weather data from the nearest meteorological station.
• Typical collected information: PV system information/report, PV
system yield, final system yield, breakdown and reliability issues.
System Monitoring and Equipment
• 2. Analytical Monitoring
• Detailed data gathering, using dedicated precision equipment.
• Collects and compiles data at specific and regular time-based values
of selected parameters, such as thermo-electrical parameters of
components, yields and weather data.
• Uses automated logging facility.
• Typical collected information: report based on standards/guidelines
System Monitoring and Equipment
System Monitoring and Equipment
System Monitoring and Equipment
Key performance indices
1. Acceptance Ratio (AR)
𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑
𝐴𝑅 =
𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑

• 𝑃𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝑃𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑆𝑇𝐶 × 𝑓𝑚𝑚 × 𝑓𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑 × 𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝 𝑝 × 𝑓𝑔 × 𝑓𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑛 × 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑑𝑒 From Chapter 3

• 𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 = 𝑃𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑆𝑇𝐶 × 𝑓𝑚𝑚 × 𝑓𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑 × 𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝 𝑝 × 𝑓𝑔 × 𝑓𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑛 × 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑑𝑒 × η𝑐𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 × η𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑟
•
𝛾𝑃𝑚𝑎𝑥
• 𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝_𝑝 = 1 + × 𝑇𝑚𝑜𝑑 − 𝑇𝑆𝑇𝐶
100
Example 1
During a live test, a GCPV system has the following data and measurements:
PV array:
𝑃𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑆𝑇𝐶 = 300 𝑊, 115 modules, PV panel power tolerance = 0 ~ +5W, 𝛾𝑃𝑚𝑎𝑥 = -0.38% °𝐶 −1
Power degradation (0 – 1 year)= 2%, no shading
Inverter:
Rated AC power= 32kW, Max AC power= 33 kW, efficiency = 98.26%
Table 1: Actual recorded data for 2022
DC cable loss = 3%
A B C D E
Dirt = 3% Date Time Irradiance Module Pout (kW) CxD
kWm-2 Temperature °C
1/1/2022 00:00 0 23 0 0
• Determine the acceptance ratio (AR) on 1/1/2022 at 10 am. 1/1/2022 00:05 0 24 0 0
… … … … … …
… … … … … …
1/1/2022 10:00 0.8 65 22.28 52
… … … … … …
… … … … … …
31/12/2022 23:55 0 22 0 0

Total 20 268 588 060 1 175 544

Example 1 (Solution)
𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 = 𝑃𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑆𝑇𝐶 × 𝑓𝑚𝑚 × 𝑓𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑 × 𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝 𝑝 × 𝑓𝑔 × 𝑓𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑛 × 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑑𝑒 × η𝑐𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 × η𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑟

𝑃𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑆𝑇𝐶 = 300 × 115 𝑊 = 34 500 𝑊

𝑓𝑚𝑚 = 1.0
𝑓𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑 = 𝑓𝐿𝐼𝐷 × 𝑓𝑎𝑔𝑒 , where 𝑓𝐿𝐼𝐷 = 100% − 2% = 98% = 0.98, 𝑓𝑎𝑔𝑒 = 1.0 (𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑙𝑒) , Hence, 𝑓𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑 = 0.98 × 1 = 0.98
𝛾𝑃𝑚𝑎𝑥 −0.38
𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝_𝑝 = 1 + × 𝑇𝑚𝑜𝑑 − 𝑇𝑆𝑇𝐶 =1+ × 65 − 25 = 0.848
100 100
𝐺𝑖 800
𝑓𝑔 = = = 0.8
1 000 1000

𝑓𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑛 = 100% − 3% = 97% = 0.97, 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑑𝑒 = 1.0 (𝑛𝑜 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔), η𝑐𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 = 100% − 3% = 97% = 0.97, η𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 98.26%=
0.9826

𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 = 34 500 × 1 × 0.98 × 0.848 × 0.8 × 0.97 × 1 × 0.97 × 0.9826 = 21 205.6 W

𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 22.28

𝐴𝑅 = = = 1.05
𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 21.2056

This indicates that the system is performing better than expected.

Key performance indices
2. Energy Performance Index (EPI)
𝐸𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑
𝐸𝑃𝐼 =
𝐸𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑

• 𝐸𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 = 𝑃𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑆𝑇𝐶 × 𝑓𝑚𝑚 × 𝑓𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑 × 𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝 𝑝 × 𝑓𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑛 × 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑑𝑒 × η𝑐𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 × η𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑟 × 𝑃𝑆𝐻
𝐻
• PSH = Peak Sun Hours = where H is Solar irradiation
𝐺𝑖,𝑟𝑒𝑓

• 𝐻 = σ𝑘 𝐺𝑖,𝑘 × 𝜏𝑘 , where 𝜏𝑘 is the recording interval

• 𝐸𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 = σ𝑘 𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑,𝑘 × 𝜏𝑘
𝛾𝑃𝑚𝑎𝑥
• 𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝_𝑝 = 1 + × 𝑇𝑚𝑜𝑑,𝑎𝑣𝑔 − 𝑇𝑆𝑇𝐶
100

σ𝑘 𝐺𝑖,𝑘 × 𝑇𝑚𝑜𝑑,𝑘
• 𝑇𝑚𝑜𝑑,𝑎𝑣𝑔 = σ𝑘 𝐺𝑖,𝑘
Example 2
From the same information in Example 1, determine the Energy Performance Index (EPI).

Table 1: Actual recorded data for 2022

A B C D E
Date Time Irradiance Module Pout (kW) CxD
kWm-2 Temperature °C
1/1/2022 00:00 0 23 0 0
1/1/2022 00:05 0 24 0 0
… … … … … …
… … … … … …
1/1/2022 10:00 0.8 65 22.28 52
… … … … … …
… … … … … …
31/12/2022 23:55 0 22 0 0

Total 20 268 588 060 1 175 544

Example 2 (Solution)
𝐸𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑
𝐸𝑃𝐼 =
𝐸𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑

𝐸𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 = σ𝑘 𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑,𝑘 × 𝜏𝑘

5
= 588 060 x
60
= 49 005 kWh

𝐸𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 = 𝑃𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑆𝑇𝐶 × 𝑓𝑚𝑚 × 𝑓𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑 × 𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝 𝑝 × 𝑓𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑛 × 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑑𝑒 × η𝑐𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 × η𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑟 × 𝑃𝑆𝐻
5
𝐻 = ෍ 𝐺𝑖,𝑘 × 𝜏𝑘 = 20 268 x = 1689 kWh𝑚2
60
𝑘
1689𝑘
PSH = = 1 689 ℎ
1000𝑘
Example 2 (Solution- Continued)
𝛾𝑃𝑚𝑎𝑥
𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝_𝑝 = 1 + × 𝑇𝑚𝑜𝑑,𝑎𝑣𝑔 − 𝑇𝑆𝑇𝐶
100
σ𝑘 𝐺𝑖,𝑘 × 𝑇𝑚𝑜𝑑,𝑘
𝑇𝑚𝑜𝑑,𝑎𝑣𝑔 = σ𝑘 𝐺𝑖,𝑘

1 175 544
=
20 268
= 58 °C
−0.38
𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝_𝑝 = 1 + × 58 − 25 = 0.8746
100

𝐸𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 = 34 500 × 1 × 0.98 × 0.8746 × 0.97 × 1 × 0.97 × 0.9826 × 1 689

= 46 174.74 kWh
Example 2 (Solution- Continued)
𝐸𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑
𝐸𝑃𝐼 =
𝐸𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑

49 005 kWh
=
46 174.74 kWh

= 1.06

This indicates that the system is performing better than expected.

Key performance indices
3. Final system yield
• Final system yield in a photovoltaic (PV) system refers to the amount of electrical
energy produced by the system, typically measured in watts or kilowatt-hours (kWh).
• The final system yield can be affected by a variety of factors, such as the efficiency of
the PV modules, the angle and orientation of the modules, shading, and system
losses.
• Unit = kWh kW𝑝 −1

𝐸𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝐸𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑

𝑌𝑓𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 = 𝑃𝐴𝑆𝑇𝐶
𝑌𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 = 𝑃𝐴𝑆𝑇𝐶
Example 3
From the same information in Example 1 & 2, determine the expected and final system yield.

Solution:
𝐸𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑
𝑌𝑓𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 =
𝑃𝐴𝑆𝑇𝐶
46 174.74 kWh
𝑌𝑓𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 =
34.5 𝑘𝑊𝑝

= 1 338.4 kWh kW𝑝−1

𝐸𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑
𝑌𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 =
𝑃𝐴𝑆𝑇𝐶

49 005 kWh
𝑌𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 =
34.5 𝑘𝑊𝑝

= 1 420.4 kWh kW𝑝 −1

Key performance indices
4. Performance ratio (PR)
𝑌𝑓 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑
𝑃𝑅𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 =
𝑃𝑆𝐻𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑

𝑌𝑓 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑
𝑃𝑅𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 = 𝑃𝑆𝐻𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑
Example 4
From the same information in Example 1,2&3, determine the expected and measured performance ratio.

Solution:
𝑌𝑓 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑
𝑃𝑅𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 =
𝑃𝑆𝐻𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑
1 338.4
𝑃𝑅𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 =
1 689

= 0.79

𝑌𝑓 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑
𝑃𝑅𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 = 𝑃𝑆𝐻𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑

1 420.4
𝑃𝑅𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 = 1 689

= 0.84
Attendance:
https://forms.gle/Hx9CZnf5aKdueKWK6