Study on Image Recognition Algorithm for Residual Snow and Ice on Photovoltaic Modules

The accumulation of snow and ice on PV modules can have a detrimental impact on power generation,leading to reduced efficiency for prolonged periods.Thus,it becomes imperative to develop an intelligent system capable of accurately assessing the extent of snow and ice coverage on PV modules.To address this issue,the article proposes an innovative ice and snow recognition algorithm that effectively segments the ice and snow areas within the collected images.Furthermore,the algorithm incorporates an analysis of the morphological characteristics of ice and snow coverage on PV modules,allowing for the establishment of a residual ice and snow recognition process.This process utilizes both the external ellipse method and the pixel statistical method to refine the identification process.The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is validated through extensive testing with isolated and continuous snow area pictures.The results demonstrate the algorithm’s accuracy and reliability in identifying and quantifying residual snow and ice on PV modules.In conclusion,this research presents a valuable method for accurately detecting and quantifying snow and ice coverage on PV modules.This breakthrough is of utmost significance for PV power plants,as it enables predictions of power generation efficiency and facilitates efficient PV maintenance during the challenging winter conditions characterized by snow and ice.By proactively managing snow and ice coverage,PV power plants can optimize energy production and minimize downtime,ensuring a sustainable and reliable renewable energy supply.

Analysis for Effects of Temperature Rise of PV Modules upon Driving Distance of Vehicle Integrated Photovoltaic Electric Vehicles

The development of vehicle integrated photovoltaics-powered electric vehicles (VIPV-EV) significantly reduces CO2 emissions from the transport sector to realize a decarbonized society. Although long-distance driving of VIPV-EV without electricity charging is expected in sunny regions, driving distance of VIPV-EV is affected by climate conditions such as solar irradiation and temperature rise of PV modules. In this paper, detailed analytical results for effects of climate conditions such as solar irradiation and temperature rise of PV modules upon driving distance of the VIPV-EV were presented by using test data for Toyota Prius and Nissan Van demonstration cars installed with high-efficiency InGaP/GaAs/InGaAs 3-junction solar cell modules with a module efficiency of more than 30%. The temperature rise of some PV modules studied in this study was shown to be expressed by some coefficients related to solar irradiation, wind speed and radiative cooling. The potential of VIPV-EV to be deployed in 10 major cities was also analyzed. Although sunshine cities such as Phoenix show the high reduction ratio of driving range with 17% due to temperature rise of VIPV modules, populous cities such as Tokyo show low reduction ratio of 9%. It was also shown in this paper that the difference between the driving distance of VIPV-EV driving in the morning and the afternoon is due to PV modules’ radiative cooling. In addition, the importance of heat dissipation of PV modules and the development of high-efficiency PV modules with better temperature coefficients was suggested in order to expand driving range of VIPV-EV. The effects of air-conditioner usage and partial shading in addition to the effects of temperature rise of VIPV modules were suggested as the other power losses of VIPV-EV.

A review on the cooling of energy conversion and storage systems using thermoelectric modules

Exploitation of sustainable energy sources requires the use of unique conversion and storage systems,such as solar panels,batteries,fuel cells,and electronic equipment.Thermal load management of these energy conversion and storage systems is one of their challenges and concerns.In this article,the thermal management of these systems using thermoelectric modules is reviewed.The results show that by choosing the right option to remove heat from the hot side of the thermoelectric modules,it will be a suitable local cooling,and the thermoelectric modules increase the power and lifespan of the system by reducing the spot temperature.Thermoelectric modules were effective in reducing panel temperature.They increase the time to reach a temperature above 50℃ in batteries by 3 to 4 times.Also,in their integration with fuel cells,they increase the power density of the fuel cell.

Photovoltaic Cells and Modules towards Terawatt Era

Progresses in photovoltaic technologies over the past years are evident from the lower costs, the rising efficiency, to the great improvements in system reliability and yield. Cumulative installed power yearly growths were on an average more than 40% in the period from 2007 to 2016 and in 2016, the global cumulative photovoltaic power installed has reached 320 GWp. The level 0.5 TWp could be reached before 2020. The production processes in the solar industry still have great potential for optimization both wafer based and thin film technologies. Trends following from the present technology levels are discussed, also taking into account other parts of photovoltaic systems that influence the cost of electrical energy produced. Present developments in the three generations of photovoltaic modules are discussed along with the criteria for the selection of appropriate photovoltaic module manufacturing technologies. The wafer based crystalline silicon(csilicon) technologies have the role of workhorse of present photovoltaic power generation, representing more than 90% of total module production. Further technology improvements have to be implemented without significantly increasing costs per unit, despite the necessarily more complex manufacturing processes involved. The tandem of c-silicon and thin film cells is very promising. Durability may be a limiting factor of this technology due to the dependence of the produced electricity cost on the module service time.

Mechanical Integrity and Failure Analysis of Photovoltaic Modules under Simulated Snow Loads Using Pneumatic Airbag Setup

Photovoltaic (PV) modules have emerged as an ideal technology of choice for harvesting vastly available renewable energy resources. However, the efficiency of PV modules remains significantly lower than that of other renewable energy sources such as wind and hydro. One of the critical elements affecting a photovoltaic module’s efficiency is the variety of external climatic conditions under which it is installed. In this work, the effect of simulated snow loads was evaluated on the performance of PV modules with different types of cells and numbers of busbars. According to ASTM-1830 and IEC-1215 standards, a load of 5400 Pa was applied to the surface of PV modules for 3 hours. An indigenously developed pneumatic airbag test setup was used for the uniform application of this load throughout the test, which was validated by load cell and pressure gauge. Electroluminescence (EL) imaging and solar flash tests were performed before and after the application of load to characterize the performance and effect of load on PV modules. Based on these tests, the maximum power output, efficiency, fill factor and series resistance were determined. The results show that polycrystalline modules are the most likely to withstand the snow loads as compared to monocrystalline PV modules. A maximum drop of 32.13% in the power output and a 17.6% increase in series resistance were observed in the modules having more cracks. These findings demonstrated the efficacy of the newly established test setup and the potential of snow loads for reducing the overall performance of PV module.

Design of Dismantling and Recycling Equipment for Junction Boxes of Waste Crystal Silicon Photovoltaic Modules

The dismantling and recycling of junction boxes,which is an important part of the photovoltaic module recycling process,was tested and designed scientifically.The equipment framework was built by three-dimensional simulation,and then the design of dismantling and recycling equipment for junction boxes of waste crystal silicon photovoltaic modules was completed through the experimental test and data analysis.The experimental results show that the initial idea of the dismantling scheme is correct,and the structure is feasible.However,some problems were not considered.This study provides reliable data support for the subsequent equipment development and ensures the smooth development of the subsequent design work.

Performance Comparison of Photovoltaic Modules under Low Sunlight

The DC energy produced by photovoltaic （PV） modules can change depending on the cell type, module components and module technology. The cell efficiency, sensitivity of the cell to light, recombination losses and how much the light reflects within the cell will affect the amount of produced energy. In addition, the energy produced will change depending on what wavelength light and how much can be transmitted through the front glass and encapsulant and how much light is reflected from back encapsulant and back cover. The front glass transmissivity, patterned surface and existence of ARC （anti-reflective coating） are all very important. In this research project, 14 modules were tested： 4 modules Glass/Glass （Perc Mono Cell）, 4 modules Glass/Ceramic （Perc Mono Cell）, 2 modules Glass/Glass bifacial （HIT Cell）, 1 module Standard （Framed, Mono-n type Cell）, 2 modules Standard （Framed, Poly Cell）, 1 module Standard （Framed, Perc Mono Cell）. This paper compares the normalized Wh/Wp ratios of the different modules under low irradiance （morning and afternoon light） and analyzes and investigates the obtained results as per the cell type used, module components and module technology.

Characterization of Simulator and Relative Spectral Responsivity Measurements of Photovoltaic Modules with Band Pass Filter Technique

One of the most important parameter used for the evaluation of the energy rating of PV modules is, their spectral responsivities which are the measure of electrical performance parameters per incident solar radiation. In this work, spectral responsivity measurements of a mono-crystalline, a poly-crystalline, a CIGS thin film and a bifacial module were measured using xenon-based flash type solar simulator system and a set of band pass filters. For the comprehensive characterization of parameters that may influence the spectral responsivity measurements, initially the simulator system was characterized both optically and thermally according to the IEC60904-9 and IEC60891 standard requirements. The optical characterizations in terms of spectral match, spatial non-uniformity and temporal instability indicate that the measured results (~3.0%, ~0.30% and ~0.20%) according to the IEC 60904-9 standard’s classification requirements correspond to A+A+A+ classes. Moreover, thermal characterizations in terms of the temperature uniformity show that over the 2 × 2 m area temperature uniformity of simulator system’s light distribution (1ºC) is almost two times better than the IEC 60891 standard requirements (±2ºC). Next, PV modules were electrically stabilized according to the IEC 61215-2 standard requirement’s (stability test) to reduce the fluctuations in their electrical performance parameters. Then, using the band pass filters, temperature controlled xenon-based solar simulator system and a reference PV module of the spectral responsivity of PV modules were measured from 400 nm to 1100 nm with 50 nm steps with relative uncertainty of 10-3 level.

Ghost-Retina Net:Fast Shadow Detection Method for Photovoltaic Panels Based on Improved Retina Net

Based on the artificial intelligence algorithm of RetinaNet,we propose the Ghost-RetinaNet in this paper,a fast shadow detection method for photovoltaic panels,to solve the problems of extreme target density,large overlap,high cost and poor real-time performance in photovoltaic panel shadow detection.Firstly,the Ghost CSP module based on Cross Stage Partial(CSP)is adopted in feature extraction network to improve the accuracy and detection speed.Based on extracted features,recursive feature fusion structure ismentioned to enhance the feature information of all objects.We introduce the SiLU activation function and CIoU Loss to increase the learning and generalization ability of the network and improve the positioning accuracy of the bounding box regression,respectively.Finally,in order to achieve fast detection,the Ghost strategy is chosen to lighten the size of the algorithm.The results of the experiment show that the average detection accuracy(mAP)of the algorithm can reach up to 97.17%,the model size is only 8.75 MB and the detection speed is highly up to 50.8 Frame per second(FPS),which can meet the requirements of real-time detection speed and accuracy of photovoltaic panels in the practical environment.The realization of the algorithm also provides new research methods and ideas for fault detection in the photovoltaic power generation system.

Photovoltaic Models Parameters Estimation Based on Weighted Mean of Vectors

Renewable energy sources are gaining popularity,particularly photovoltaic energy as a clean energy source.This is evident in the advancement of scientific research aimed at improving solar cell performance.Due to the non-linear nature of the photovoltaic cell,modeling solar cells and extracting their parameters is one of the most important challenges in this discipline.As a result,the use of optimization algorithms to solve this problem is expanding and evolving at a rapid rate.In this paper,a weIghted meaN oF vectOrs algorithm(INFO)that calculates the weighted mean for a set of vectors in the search space has been applied to estimate the parameters of solar cells in an efficient and precise way.In each generation,the INFO utilizes three operations to update the vectors’locations:updating rules,vector merging,and local search.The INFO is applied to estimate the parameters of static models such as single and double diodes,as well as dynamic models such as integral and fractional models.The outcomes of all applications are examined and compared to several recent algorithms.As well as the results are evaluated through statistical analysis.The results analyzed supported the proposed algorithm’s efficiency,accuracy,and durability when compared to recent optimization algorithms.

Long-Chain Gemini Surfactant-Assisted Blade Coating Enables Large-Area Carbon-Based Perovskite Solar Modules with Record Performance

Carbon-based perovskite solar cells show great potential owing to their low-cost production and superior stability in ambient air.However,scaling up to high-efficiency carbon-based solar modules hinges on reliable deposition of uniform defect-free perovskite films over large areas,which is an unsettled but urgent issue.In this work,a long-chain gemini surfactant is introduced into perovskite precursor ink to enforce self-assembly into a network structure,considerably enhancing the coverage and smoothness of the perovskite films.The long gemini surfactant plays a distinctively synergistic role in perovskite film construction,crystallization kinetics modulation and defect passivation,leading to a certified record power conversion efficiency of 15.46%with Voc of 1.13 V and Jsc of 22.92 mA cm^(-2)for this type of modules.Importantly,all of the functional layers of the module are printed through a simple and high-speed(300 cm min^(-1))blade coating strategy in ambient atmosphere.These results mark a significant step toward the commercialization of all-printable carbon-based perovskite solar modules.

Sodium Diffuses from Glass Substrates through P1 Lines and Passivates Defects in Perovskite Solar Modules

Most thin-film photovoltaic modules are constructed on soda-lime glass(SLG)substrates containing alkali oxides,such as Na_(2)O.Na may diffuse from SLG into a module's active layers through P1 lines,an area between a module's constituent cells where the substrate-side charge transport layer(CTL)is in direct contact with SLG.Na diffusion from SLG is known to cause several important effects inⅡ-Ⅵand chalcogenide solar modules,but it has not been studied in perovskite solar modules(PSMs).In this work,we use complementary microscopy and spectroscopy techniques to show that Na diffusion occurs in the fabrication process of PSMs.Na diffuses vertically inside P1 lines and then laterally from P1 lines into the active area for up to 360 pm.We propose that this process is driven by the high temperatures the devices are exposed to during CTL and perovskite annealing.The diffused Na preferentially binds with Br,forming Br-poor,l-rich perovskite and a species rich in Na and Br(Na-Br)close to P1 lines.Na-Br passivates defect sites,reducing non-radiative recombination in the perovskite and boosting its luminescence by up to 5×.Na-Br is observed to be stable after 12 weeks of device storage,suggesting long-lasting effects of Na diffusion.Our results not only point to a potential avenue to increase PSM performance but also highlight the possibility of unabated Na diffusion throughout a module's lifetime,especially if accelerated by the electric field and elevated temperatures achievable during device operation.

New Approach of Multi-Cell Stacked Cell Inverter for Solar Photovoltaic System

In this paper, a new inverter topology dedicated to isolated or grid-connected PV systems is proposed. This inverter is based on the structures of a stacked multi-cell converter (SMC) and an H-bridge. This new topology has allowed the voltage stresses of the converter to be distributed among several switching cells. Secondly, divide the input voltage into several fractions to reduce the number of power semiconductors to be switched. In this contribution, the general topology of this micro-inverter has been described and the simulation tests developed to validate its operation have been presented. Finally, we discussed the simulation results, the efficiency of this topology and the feasibility of its use in a grid-connected photovoltaic production system.

A Study of the Temperature Influence on Different Parameters of Mono-Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Module

In this article, the effect of temperature on the photovoltaic parameters of mono-crystalline silicon Photovoltaic Panel is undertaken, using the Matlab environment with varying module temperature in the range 25°C - 60°C at constant solar irradiations 200 - 500 W/m2. The results show that the temperature has a significant impact on the various parameters of the photovoltaic panel and it controls the quality and performance of the solar panel. The photovoltaic parameters are the current of short circuit Isc, the open circuit voltage Vco, the form factor FF, the maximum power Pmax as well as efficiency. The relative change of these photovoltaic parameters with temperature is also evaluated in this article. A DS-100M solar panel has been used as reference model. The results show also that the open circuit voltage, maximum power, fill factor and efficiency decrease with temperature, but the short circuit current increases with temperature. The results are in good agreement with the available literature.

Defect Detection in c-Si Photovoltaic Modules via Transient Thermography and Deconvolution Optimization

Defects may occur in photovoltaic(PV)modules during production and long-term use,thereby threatening the safe operation of PV power stations.Transient thermography is a promising defect detection technology;however,its detection is limited by transverse thermal diffusion.This phenomenon is particularly noteworthy in the panel glasses of PV modules.A dynamic thermography testing method via transient thermography and Wiener filtering deconvolution optimization is proposed.Based on the time-varying characteristics of the point spread function,the selection rules of the first-order difference image for deconvolution are given.Samples with a broken grid and artificial cracks were tested to validate the performance of the optimization method.Compared with the feature images generated by traditional methods,the proposed method significantly improved the visual quality.Quantitative defect size detection can be realized by combining the deconvolution optimization method with adaptive threshold segmentation.For the same batch of PV products,the detection error could be controlled to within 10%.

Status quo on recycling of waste crystalline silicon for photovoltaic modules and its implications for China's photovoltaic industry

As a clean and efficient renewable energy source,solar energy has been rapidly applied worldwide.The growth rate of China's installed capacity ranks first in the world.However,the life span of photovoltaic(PV)modules is 25 to 30 years,and the rapid development of installed capacity indicates that a large number of PV modules will be decommissioned in the future.Therefore,the ongoing treatment of the scrapped PV waste cells in the near future requires urgent plans and countermeasures.Proper recycling and disposal of decommissioned PV modules is a practical requirement for the sustainable development of the country and industry.Crystalline silicon(c-Si)solar cells currently occupy 85%-90%of the market share,and some scholars have begun to seek the utilization pathways of the waste Si in and outside the PV industry.In this paper,the research status of the separation and recycling process of crystalline Si PV modules is reviewed,and the recycling ways of crystalline silicon are particularly focused on.In addition,the current bottlenecks in the PV recycling industry in China are analyzed and some suggestions on the sustainable development of the PV industry are proposed.

Modeling of a Photovoltaic Module Considering the Solar Energy Available from Horizontal Surfaces over Kuwait Area

The paper identifies and analyzes the geographical and temporal variability of solar energy in Kuwait. The fundamental solar trigonometric model has been modified to estimate daily and hourly solar radiation on horizontal surfaces on the basis of the more readily available meteorological data. The results demonstrate that Kuwait has an abundance of solar energy capability. An overview of the production and consumption of electrical energy, installed capacity, and peak loads in Kuwait is also presented. Finally, it is shown how the power produced from the photovoitaic （PV） cells depends on the solar radiation. The proposed PV module is made up of a combination of series and parallel cells to increase power, while the IoV characteristic and output power of the module each month may be obtained from the model.

Modelling Study of Magnetic Field Effect on the Performance of a Silicon Photovoltaic Module

Solar Photovoltaic is a very promising solution that can greatly contribute in solving the increasing global energy demand. In both rural and urban areas, photovoltaic modules are in some instances installed close to telecommunication antennas or voltage transformers which generate important magnetic fields in their vicinity. The question is whether or not these magnetic fields affect the performances of the photovoltaic installations. This article presents a modelling study of external magnetic field effect on the electrical parameters of a photovoltaic module. The photocurrent, the photovoltage, the electric power, the series and the shunt resistances of the photovoltaic module, made up of ideal cells, are deduced from those of a silicon solar cell. Then, the I-V and P-V curves are plotted and the theoretical values of the electrical parameters of the photovoltaic module are deduced. The series and shunt resistances of the photovoltaic module are calculated using well known equations and the previous electrical parameters. The results show the negative effect of magnetic field on the performance of a solar photovoltaic module.

Modeling of the Photovoltaic Module Operating Temperature for Various Weather Conditions in the Tropical Region

The operating temperature is a critical factor affecting the performances of photovoltaic(PV)modules.In this work,relevant models are proposed for the prediction of this operating temperature using data(ambient temperature and solar irradiance)based on real measurements conducted in the tropical region.For each weather condition(categorized according to irradiance and temperature levels),the temperatures of the PV modules obtained using the proposed approach is compared with the corresponding experimentally measured value.The results show that the proposed models have a smaller Root Mean Squared Error than other models developed in the literature for all weather conditions,which confirms the reliability of the proposed framework.

Performance on Power,Hot and Cold Water Generation of a Hybrid Photovoltaic Thermal Module

This paper proposed a new function of photovoltaic thermal(PVT)module to produce nocturnal cool water not just only generating electrical power and hot water during daytime.Experimental tests were carried out under Chiang Mai tropical climate with a 200 Wp monocrystalline PVT module having dimensions of 1.601 m×0.828 m connected with two water tanks each of 60 L taken for hot and cool water storages.The module was facing south with 18o inclination.The electrical load was a 200 W halogen lamp.From experiments,by taking the module as a nocturnal radiative cooling surface,the cool water temperature in the cool storage tank could be reduced 2℃–3℃each night and the temperature could be reduced from 31.5℃to 22.1℃within 4 consecutive days.The cool water at approximately 23℃was also used to cool down the PVT module from noon when the PVT module temperature was rather high,and then the module temperature immediately dropped around 5℃and approximately 10%increase of electrical power could be achieved.A set of mathematical models was also developed to predict the PVT module temperature and the hot water temperature including the cool water temperature in the storage tanks during daytime and nighttime.The simulated results agreed well with the experimental data.