Methodology to validate measured performance and warranty conditions of PV modules

This paper introduces a new, efficient, and accurate way to transform current–voltage (I-V) and power-voltage (P-V) curves from measurement conditions to the datasheet’s Standard Test Conditions (STC) for validating the performance and warranty of PV modules. To achieve this, a methodology is presented that uses measurement data of a PV module for any given test condition: (1) models it using the single diode model, (2) extracts the diode-model parameters from a set of non-linear equations using the Newton-Raphson method, and (3) solves the model to generate the I-V and P-V curves and (4) maps the measurement curves from measurement conditions to the STC and compares results to datasheet metrics. The simulation model is validated with measurement data and accurately represents the PV module’s electrical characteristics with a maximum relative error of 1.37%. The model is tested on a PV module, and results show that the module’s performance is consistent with the datasheet warranty standards, where the PV module under test has experienced an average power degradation of −4.88% after the first two years of operation.