Unit 2 Selection of PV Module technology and sizing

PV Module

Photovoltaic (PV) cells, commonly referred to as solar cells, are assembled into a PV module or
solar PV module. PV modules (also known as PV panels) are linked together to form an
enormous array, called a PV array, to meet a specific voltage and current need.

A PV module is a critical component in any PV system that uses direct current (DC) electricity.
PV modules can be linked together in series and parallel to meet a given system’s voltage and
current requirements.

For structural stability, crystalline silicon modules use a single glass sheet and an aluminum
frame that weighs less than 3 kilograms per square meter.

Single crystalline silicon (also known as monocrystalline silicon) and multi-crystalline

silicon (also known as polycrystalline silicon) are two forms of crystalline silicon (c-Si)
utilized in the production of PV modules.

Polycrystalline and monocrystalline silicon photovoltaics are two types of crystalline silicon
cells. Polycrystalline silicon cells are created by sawing cast silicon into bars and then cutting
them into wafers.

Monocrystalline silicon solar cells are more efficient than polycrystalline silicon solar cells in
terms of power output. In order to increase reliability and resistance to the elements, crystalline
silicon photovoltaic modules are frequently coupled and then laminated under toughened, high-
transmittance glass.
Comparison between Thin Film, Monocrystalline and Polycrystalline solar panels

Thin Film Monocrystalline Polycrystalline

These cells are a blue in These cells are a black in These cells are a blue in colour
colour colour

Cost More expensive Less expensive

More efficient More efficient Less efficient

10-20 years 25+ years 25+ years

Lower thermal losses at Lower temperature Higher temperature coefficient/less

extreme temperatures due coefficient/more effective effective when temperature changes
to the low-temperature when temperature
coefficient. changes

Solar Cell Efficiency

Each PV module consists of number of tiny solar cells wired in a specific configuration
depending upon the system voltage and current requirements. Currently, 48, 60, 72, solar cell
module are commonly available in the market. PV module efficiency is directly proportional to
the solar cell efficiency. However, the PV module efficiency is always lesser than the summation
of each solar cell efficiency due to internal connection losses.

PV Module Efficiency (Ƞ)

PV module efficiency is the most important factor as it will determine the output of the installed
solar system. The PV module efficiency can be found from the nameplate data according to the
following formula:

Ƞ PV module = (Vmpp*Impp) / (Area of module * Irradiance at STC)

 Vmpp ;Voltage at max peak power

· Impp; Current at max peak power

· Area of Module = Length (L) x Width (W) of module

STC= Standard Test Conditions

· Irradiance at STC; 1000W/sq-m

It is important to note that at different atmospheric conditions all the above parameters change
except for the area of the module. Vmpp and Impp vary for different irradiations according to the
I-V curves of the module.

PV Module Backsheet and EVA selection

PV Module Backsheet

Photovoltaic back sheets play an important role in protecting solar modules over their lifetime.
The PV back sheet is on the outermost layer of the PV module. It is designed to protect the
inner components of the module, specifically the photovoltaic cells and electrical components
from external stresses as well it act as an electrical insulator. In order to accomplish this, the
solar material must be a robust construction, typically a three layer laminate, and have high
dielectric properties. Quality back sheets provide voltage protection and maintenance prevention
and are equally as important as the glass covering the cells.
EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) sheet

EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) sheet is an essential features for solar Cells/ Modules. While the
EVA sheets play an important role in preventing water and dirt from sensitive into solar
modules as well as protecting the cell by softening the shocks and vibrations to the cell. They
have properties like excellent durability, adhesive bonding to the cell and glass, excellent optical
transmission and transparency and flexibility. In a typical solar module, layers are like glass on
top, an EVA sheet after that, followed by the cells, one more layer of EVA sheet below the cell,
and finally the back sheet. Solar panels have typically two layers of EVA-based features in a
solar module. It is a copolymer film which act as an essential sealant of photovoltaic solar
modules for ensuring the reliability and performance of the system

Selection of PV Module Glass

Glass is used in photovoltaic modules as layer of protection against the elements. In thin-film
technology, glass also serves as the substrate upon which the photovoltaic material and other
chemicals (such as TCO) are deposited. Glass is also the basis for mirrors used to concentrate
sunlight.

Chemical Composition of Glass

Most commercial glasses are oxide glasses with similar chemical composition. The main
component is Silicon Oxide, SiO2, which is found in sandstone.

Annealed Glass: The components are heated in a furnace at temperatures above 1560°C and
cooled down slowly after the forming process, resulting in annealed glass.

Tempering: Glass is heat-treated by heating annealed glass to ~620°C and then rapidly cooling
by airflow. As a result, tempered glass is about 4 times stronger than annealed glass. In addition,
tempered glass breaks into small fragments, reducing probability of serious injury.

Iron Impurities: Most glass contains iron impurities in the form of iron salts within the silicon
oxide that damages the transmission of light through the material. Sources for low iron glass
include low iron sand and limestone.

Coating: Thin layers of coating may be deposited on one side of the glass for anti-reflection
which improves conductivity or self-cleaning capability.
Glass Characteristics

For solar applications the main attributes of glass are transmission, mechanical strength and
specific weight.

Transmission

Transmission factors measure the ratio of energy of the transmitted to the incoming light for a
specific glass and glass width. Fig.

The commercial glass has a solar transmission capacity of 83.7%. So, 16.3% of the sun's energy
do not even get to the PV material. The energy loss is due to unequal parts, reflection on the
surface, and absorption within the glass due to iron impurities.

Specific Weight

The density of glass is about 2,500 kg/m3 or 2.5kg/m2 per 1mm width. Typical crystalline
modules use 3mm front glass, whereas thin-film modules contain two laminated glass layers of
3mm each for front and back. As a result, assuming 3mm glass, 96% of the weight of a thin-film
module and 67% of a crystalline module is glass.

Mechanical Strength

Glass has great inherent strength. However, as it can not reduce localized stresses, it is subject to
rapid brittle fracture. There are a number of measures for mechanical strength depending on the
direction of the applied force. For the purpose of solar modules, the most significant measure is
the tensile strength, a measure of pressure expressed in Pa (Pascal).

Type Mechanical Strength

Annealed Glass 45 MPa
Toughened 70 MPa
Tempered 120 MPa

Busbar and Frame

Conventional silicon solar cells are metalized with thin rectangular-shaped strips printed on the
front and rear of a solar cell. These front and rear contact strips are referred to as bus bars. Its
purpose is conduct the direct current produced by the solar cell from the incoming photons.
Commonly, solar cell busbars are made of copper plated with silver. The silver plating is
necessary to improve current conductivity (front side) as well as to reduce oxidization (rear
side). Perpendicular to the busbars is the metallic and super-thin grid fingers, also called contact
fingers which are connected by the busbar. The fingers collect the generated current and deliver
it to the busbars. Tab wires are soldered to the busbars to connect a string of cells and thus
collect the electric current of one cell string. Clusters of tab-wired cell strings are connected in
parallel by bus wires which then deliver the cumulative power from all the cells to the junction
box. The losses like resistance losses, shading losses and reflection losses can be reduced by
creating greater distances between busbar and fingures.

The below image illustrates a polycrystalline silicon PV cell with 3 busbars (horizontal) and
fingers (vertical)

Polycrystalline silicon solar cell: busbars and fingers