Journal
SOLAR ENERGY
Volume 125, Issue -, Pages 444-452Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2015.12.023
Keywords
PV panel efficiency; Microinverter efficiency; Temperature effects
Categories
Funding
- NSF CBET [0853933]
- PSU Institute for Sustainable Solutions
- Oregon BEST
- Portland General Electric
- City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services
- NSF REU summer fellowship [1004737]
- Portland State University Innovation Grant
- Division Of Materials Research
- Direct For Mathematical & Physical Scien [1004737] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
- Div Of Chem, Bioeng, Env, & Transp Sys
- Directorate For Engineering [0853933] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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Typical installation of a microinverter in a plane parallel position on the back side of a monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) panel can lead to differential heating of the PV cells immediately above the microinverter by as much as 4 degrees C. Rotation of the microinverter to a perpendicular position allows the microinverter itself to run cooler by about 4 degrees C and completely removes the distinctive heat signature on the panels. Because the thermal effects of the microinverters are significant for only two of the 72 cells on the panel, changes in DC power output from the panels are not detectable. However, lower microinverter temperatures increase microinverter efficiency by about 0.65%, such that overall AC power production is increased by about 0.09%. In addition to these small improvements to be gained by the repositioning of microinverters, there are also potential long-term concerns that nonuniform heating may lead to accelerated degradation in the affected area of the panel. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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