The Influence of Partial Shading on the Active Power Output of Solar Grid-Tied Inverter

Solar power generation is becoming increasingly popular to meet the continuously growing demand for electricity, as it falls under the category of renewable energy sources that are abundant and inexhaustible. This type of power generation converts direct sunlight into electrical energy using the photovoltaic effect. However, solar panels experience a decrease in output efficiency due to various factors, one of which is shading. In solar power systems, shading is the most significant factor that affects power output and has a considerable potential to disrupt photovoltaic performance. Shading can occur due to weather conditions such as the movement of the sun or clouds, as well as environmental factors like trees or buildings. This research aims to examine the impact of partial shading on the output power of solar panels using an on-grid inverter. Several experiments were conducted by applying shading effects in various patterns to the photovoltaic array to determine their effects on power output. Data collection was performed using two data acquisition devices to minimize errors in the collected data.