Modeling Solar Cell Performance at High Temperatures: A Validation Study of Theoretical Equations and Computational Simulations

Abstract

As the demand for solar renewable energies grows globally, researchers' goal has always been to develop low-cost, high-efficiency cells, knowing that higher panel temperatures lead to poor conversion performance and decreased long-term reliability, posing a well-known challenge in the field of photovoltaics. This study employed both theoretical and computational methodologies to investigate the relationship between temperature and efficiency. To model the performance of the solar cell under varying temperatures, theoretical equations relating the temperature of the cell to the cell's efficiency were developed, and MATLAB SIMULINK was used to develop a computational model showing the output power of a solar cell under varying temperatures. Our findings reveal that the efficiency of an LR5-72HPH 545 Watts solar cell decreases from 21.3% at 25°C to 17.41% at 70°C. The results of the theoretical and computational studies were compared and found to have a small error of 1.05%, proving that computational modeling can be relied on to accurately predict solar cell performance, where this model is valuable since it allows a to analyze the effect of temperature on solar cells in a way that is simpler and faster to achieve than theoretical methods. However, by employing suitable cooling systems, it is possible to limit the impacts of temperature, which is critical for the development of more efficient and dependable solar cells, particularly in high-temperature conditions.