Estimation of Energy Yield of a Solar Roof on EVs with Differential Power Processing Converter using a 3D Model and Validation of the Analytical Model

A photovoltaic (PV) panel comprises multiple series-connected substrings of cells, which are then connected in series. In curved PV panels mounted on the roofs of electric vehicles (EVs), variations in electrical characteristics among cells and substrings cause a significant reduction in power generation. As a solution, a Differential Power Processing Converters (DPPCs) has been proposed to improve power generation by quasi-uniformize the electrical characteristics. However, to achieve uniform electrical characteristics across all cells, a combination of cell-level and substring-level DPPCs is required, increasing the system's cost. Therefore, it is desirable to determine the level of DPPC installation by considering the increase in power generation, and an analytical model is needed to predict the power generation of curved PV panels accurately. This paper reproduces the 56-cell PV panel installed in the Prius PHV by 3D model and creates an analytical power generation model. The validity of the analytical model was verified through field tests, and the annual power generation when the DPPC was installed was quantitatively evaluated.