Performance assessment of mono and poly crystalline silicon photovoltaic arrays under Pannonian climate conditions

This paper conducted performance assessment of two photovoltaic arrays made of different silicon photovoltaic technologies installed at the test site of the Laboratory for Renewable Energy Sources at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Information Technology Osijek in Croatia. Each of the two photovoltaic arrays consists of 20 series-connected photovoltaic modules with total installed power of 5 kWp, which are then connected to the grid-tie inverter. Studied PV technologies are monocrystalline and polycrystalline silicon. Performance of the photovoltaic arrays is evaluated using 12 months of continuous measurements of the electrical output with assessment of the influence of European humid continental climate measured meteorological data on the performance, electricity production and efficiency of the investigated photovoltaic arrays. Monthly energy yield, performance ratio and capacity factor of each PV array is also calculated. Furthermore, empirical analysis of meteorological and electrical parameters is conducted and mathematical models of efficiency in relation to module temperature are determined.