LAPSE:2023.18718
Published Article
LAPSE:2023.18718
PVcheck—A Software to Check Your Photovoltaic System
March 8, 2023
Having a photovoltaic (PV) system raises the question of whether it runs as expected. Measuring its energy yield takes a long time and the result still contains uncertainties from varying weather conditions and possible shading of the modules. Here, a free software PVcheck to measure the peak power of the system is announced, using the power data of a single sunny day. The software loads a data file of the generated power as a function of time from this day. This data file is provided by typical inverters. The software then simulates this power curve using known parameters like angle and location of the PV system. The assumed peak power of the simulation can then be adjusted so that the simulated curve matches the measured one. The software runs under Microsoft Windows™ and makes use of the free library pvlib python. The simulation can be refined by importing weather data like temperature, wind speed, and insolation. Furthermore, curves describing the nominal module efficiency as a function of the illumination intensity as well as the power-dependent inverter efficiency can be included in the simulation. First results reveal a good agreement of the simulation with experimental data. The software can be used to detect strong problems in PV systems after installation and to monitor their long-time operation.
Keywords
long-term stability, peak power, performance, photovoltaic, PV system, pvlib python, Simulation, solar cell, solar module, system check
Suggested Citation
Rinio M. PVcheck—A Software to Check Your Photovoltaic System. (2023). LAPSE:2023.18718
Author Affiliations
Rinio M: Department of Engineering and Physics, Karlstad University, 65188 Karlstad, Sweden [ORCID]
Journal Name
Energies
Volume
14
Issue
20
First Page
6757
Year
2021
Publication Date
2021-10-17
Published Version
ISSN
1996-1073
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Original Submission
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PII: en14206757, Publication Type: Journal Article
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LAPSE:2023.18718
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doi:10.3390/en14206757
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Mar 8, 2023
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