Mapping of PV Solar Module Technologies Across Libyan Territory

Solar energy is one of the most promising renewable energy options in Libya. The electrical yield of the solar PV panel is very sensitive to the cell's temperature. As Libya is vast and with different terrains, weather parameters such as temperature, wind, rain and humidity vary significantly across the country. Therefore, this variation must be considered when assessing the feasibility of the PV solar systems, taking into consideration the selection of the appropriate PV technology in terms of the electrical characteristics, and not generalizing the results of a specific region to the whole country. The present work aims to determine the types of solar PV module technologies that are suitable for the climatic conditions of each region of Libya identified on the map. Due to the lack of weather data, the research utilized the data provided by Solargis Database Company in analyzing the performance of PV solar fields. In this regard, the economic parameters of three different types of PV solar modules were simulated under real weather conditions at several sites using the System Advisor Model software (SAM) simulation tool developed by the NREL-USA. It successfully determined the most suitable type of PV solar module for each zone across the Libyan territory. The obtained results can be implemented in the preliminary design steps, especially in the selection of the type of PV solar modules to be installed in a particular location, where a difference in the Levelized Cost Of Energy (LCOE) values of up to 45% was remarked between several types of PV solar modules for the same location.