Improved reference condition independent method for output performance estimation of PV modules under varying operating conditions

Traditional methods for estimating output property of the photovoltaic (PV) modules are strongly influenced by the selection of reference condition and transforming equations, which determine the calculated physical parameters under real operating conditions. The differences in the carrier transport properties of PV cells under varying operating conditions, such as the number and velocity of minority carriers at the junction edge and their recombination speed, lead to large deviations in the estimation of the output characteristics, especially under low irradiance conditions. To enhance the accuracy of performance estimation, we propose an improved method that is independent of reference condition. This method eliminates the impact of reference conditions and improves the transformation equations under all irradiance levels. Transformation equations of single diode model are established in different irradiance intervals based on the dependence of physical parameter on irradiance and temperature. Especially in the low irradiance range, all effects of irradiance and temperature are considered for each physical parameter in improved transformation equations. To optimize the unknown parameters in the transformation equations, the artificial hummingbird algorithm is used to fit experimental I–V data. The experimental results of six different types PV modules under a wide range of operating conditions are used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. The proposed method offers immediate benefits, including independence from reference condition and a more precise relationship between physical parameters and environmental factors in the estimation of PV output properties. Comparing the results to the traditional method by Laudani, the proposed method demonstrates superior capability in estimating I–V characteristics and accurately identifies the maximum power point under various operating conditions, which is of significant value for engineering applications.