Advanced PV energy rating

Short Name: PV-Enerate, Project Number: 16ENG02
Image showing Photovoltaic cells in field at sunset
Photovoltaic cells in field at sunset

New energy rating metrics will provide better, fairer testing of emerging photovoltaic technologies


Currently, photovoltaic (PV) modules used to generate solar energy are sold on the basis of power produced under standard test conditions. However, these test conditions do not always reflect the real-world conditions in which PV modules will be operating. This impedes the uptake of emerging and innovative technologies, such as modules optimised for specific climates. An alternative is to value PV according to an energy rating metric that takes into account real-world factors.

 

This project used results from ENG55 PhotoClass to support the adoption of this metric by improving PV energy rating standards, measurement equipment and methodologies to enable precise measurements of the parameters required for the energy rating. Adopting such a metric better aligns the interests of the manufacturer and customer, provides a fairer comparison between different PV technologies, and improves the accuracy of financial models. This will accelerate time-to-market for emerging PV technologies, which have the potential to significantly reduce the cost of solar energy.

 

EMPIR project 19ENG01 Metro-PV builds on this work.

Project website
Publications
Effective Spectral Albedo from Satellite Data for Bifacial Gain Calculations of PV Systems
2020

37th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition

LED-Based Differential Spectral Responsivity Measurements of PV Modules
2019

https://www.eupvsec-proceedings.com/proceedings

High-speed digital light source photocurrent mapping system
2019

Measurement Science and Technology

Characterizing the operating conditions of bifacial modules
2018

AIP Conference Proceedings 1999, 020014 (2018)

Other Participants
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. (Germany)
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover (Germany)
Institut für Solarenergieforschung GmbH (Germany)
JRC - Joint Research Centre - European Commission (European Commission)
Loughborough University (United Kingdom)
Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera Italiana (Switzerland)
TÜV Rheinland Energy GmbH (Germany)