Performance Analysis and Fault Diagnosis Method for Concentrator Photovoltaic Modules

Concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems use high efficiency multi-junction solar cells with efficiencies >40%, but the module efficiency is often much lower. The increased complexity of a CPV module, with optics, receiver, and the tracker give an increased probability that faults will arise during the operational lifetime. In addition, a location like India has varied atmospheric conditions that further complicate the diagnosis of faults. It is therefore important to decouple effects due to the external environment (such as the atmosphere) from effects due to the degradation of the module. By applying a computer model to outdoor CPV test data in Bangalore, India, we have established a method to assess the performance of the CPV module and finally we present a method to diagnose faults in the module.