Robust Method for Estimating Single-Diode Model Parameters of a PV Module from the Manufacturer's Datasheet Information

Estimating the electrical model parameters of photovoltaic (PV) modules, which are normally not provided by manufacturers, is crucial for modeling PV systems in simulation studies. This work proposes a novel robust approach to identify parameters of the single diode model (SDM) of a PV module. The equivalent electrical circuit parameters are extracted by solving a set of equations through the application of the Lambert W function for a given value of ideality factor, Ai, based on data found in manufacturer's datasheets under standard test conditions (STC). To find the optimal ideality factor, parameters are computed for different Ai values within a defined range, and their fitness is assessed using a multi-criteria objective function. Irradiance and temperature dependence of the parameters are estimated using the temperature coefficients available on datasheets and the irradiation coefficient of open circuit voltages, calculated using the data at Normal Operating Cell Temperature (NOCT). By utilizing the estimated values for the parameters, the current-voltage (1- V) characteristics at different levels of irradiation and temperatures, and the temperature coefficient of maximum power for several PV modules, were obtained. The errors expressed in terms of root means square deviations compared to the datasheet values were less than 4 % for the five different PV modules considered.