Electrical and Thermal Modelling to Evaluate Photovoltaic Module Performance in Varying Outdoor Condition

The incident solar radiation on the surface of the photovoltaic (PV) module is not fully utilized for electricity generation since part of it contributes to heat generation in the module. Therefore it is important to consider both electrical and thermal performance of PV module/panel for a location before its installation. The present work evaluates the electrical parameters of the PV module (multicrystalline) using numerical method. The current-voltage characteristics under varying outdoor conditions has been measured and validated with the experimental results. Also a 3D thermal model has been designed using COMSOL Multiphysics to understand the temperature distribution profile in the cells of the module and its effect on the electrical performance of the PV module.