Determination of Yearly Degradation Rate of Electrical Parameters of Polycrystalline Silicon (p Si) Photovoltaic Module in Minna, Nigeria

Abstract

The need for accurate knowledge of degradation rate and lifespan of photovoltaic (PV) module in every location for an effective solar PV power system is paramount. Outdoor degradation analysis was carried out on polycrystalline silicon PV module rated 10w using CR1000 software base Data acquisition system (DAS). The PV module under test and meteorological sensors were installed on a metal support structure at the same test plane in the laboratory guarding of Federal University of Technology, Minna. The data monitoring was from 09:00 am to 06:00 pm hours each day continuously for a period of four years, from December 2014 to November 2018. Annual yearly averages of the performance variables were carried out to ascertain the degradation rate and lifespan of the module. It was observed that open circuit voltage (Voc), short circuit current (Isc), Power (W), Maximum voltage, (Vmax), Maximum current (Imax) and Maximum power (W) have average yearly degradation of 0.286V, 0.004A, 0.024W, 0.276 Vmax, 0.0042 Imax, 0.0343 Wmax.