Study of the second‐generation of CdTe and CIGS thin film PV modules under natural sunlight conditions

Abstract

There is a significant amount of research in the literature concerning the performance of solar panels operating during outdoor exposure, but the full topic is not yet exhausted. One of the reasons is that the photovoltaic cell technology is constantly evolving. In this paper, a comparison of two types of CdTe and CIGS modules operated with a nominal power of 80 W and 140 W, respectively is studied. The module tests were performed under external conditions during autumn, winter, spring, and summer from October 2019 to July 2020 in the temperate climate of Miękinia, South Poland. The photovoltaic panels were connected to the electric grid via microinverters. During the tests, the temperature of the panels was monitored. To determine the influence of solar radiation on the energy conversion efficiency of photovoltaic panels, a pyranometer installed in the plane of the panels was used. Based on the monitoring of the atmospheric conditions and the measurement of instantaneous power, the efficiency of the modules is determined.