Study of solar energy for PV implementation in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This paper purposes the effective use of solar energy in Photovoltaic (PV) module to get the maximum power output. As the performance of any PV module depends on various environmental factors, especially on solar irradiation and temperature, the paper analyzes one year solar irradiation data in Saudi Arabia, studies the performance parameters of PV cell for different location. Here, to study the performance parameter a typical PV module MSX60 60W array is used, which can be installed on the rooftop or on vast desert areas. The system's mathematical model is developed in MATLAB. The analytical results of this paper help to understand the effects of variation of solar irradiation on PV cell inside the Saudi Arabia. Finally, the paper demonstrates the suitable places for implementing the large scale PV module inside the Kingdom.