Irradiance Sensing through PV Devices: A Sensitivity Analysis.

Area of Science:

• Photovoltaic technology
• Solar energy sensing
• Electrical engineering

Background:

• Accurate solar irradiance measurement is crucial for photovoltaic (PV) system performance monitoring and control.
• Existing methods may be complex or costly, limiting widespread deployment.
• Understanding sensitivity to measurement errors is key for reliable PV sensing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and analyze a sensitivity analysis for a closed-form irradiance sensing approach using PV devices.
• To develop a lean expression for calculating irradiance based on operating point, temperature, and equivalent circuit model.
• To determine optimal conditions for minimizing sensitivity to measurement errors.

Main Methods:

• Developed a lean expression to calculate irradiance using PV operating point, temperature, and equivalent circuit parameters.
• Performed a sensitivity analysis on this expression concerning errors in operating point and temperature measurements.
• Evaluated the approach for both stand-alone sensors and integrated sensing on operating PV devices.
• Demonstrated a low-cost virtual sensor for PV module performance monitoring.

Main Results:

• Identified optimal conditions to minimize sensitivity in irradiance calculations.
• Validated the closed-form approach for stand-alone and integrated PV irradiance sensing.
• Showcased a cost-effective virtual sensor solution for PV performance monitoring.
• The proposed method enables real-time monitoring of PV plant electrical and environmental conditions.

Conclusions:

• The proposed closed-form approach offers a simplified and accurate method for irradiance sensing using PV devices.
• Sensitivity analysis reveals optimal operating conditions for reliable measurements.
• This solution facilitates the development of wireless sensor networks for remote PV plant monitoring.