Online Distributed Measurement of Dark I-V Curves in Photovoltaic Plants

The inspection techniques for defects in photovoltaic modules are diverse. Among them, the inspection with measurements using current-voltage (I-V) curves is one of the most outstanding. I-V curves, which can be carried under illumination or in dark conditions, are widely used to detect certain defects in photovoltaic modules. In a traditional way, these measurements are carried out by disconnecting the photovoltaic module from the string inside the photovoltaic plant. In this work, the researchers propose a methodology to perform online dark I-V curves of modules in photovoltaic plants without the need of disconnecting them from the string. For this, a combination of electronic boards in the photovoltaic modules and a bidirectional inverter are employed. The results are highly promising, and this methodology could be widely used in upcoming photovoltaic plants.

Automated summary

Researchers propose a method for online dark I-V curve measurements of modules in photovoltaic plants without disconnecting them from the string. The combination of electronic boards in the modules and a bidirectional inverter shows promising results, suggesting wide potential applications in future photovoltaic plants.