Degradation Analysis of Utility-Scale PV Plants in Different Climate Zones

Accurate performance modeling of utility-scale PV plants is crucial for reducing the risk of investment, as well as improving operations and maintenance. In spite of much research, the precise rate at which PV plants degrade is still not well known. This article uses a well-known methodology for cal...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE journal of photovoltaics 2021-03, Vol.11 (2), p.513-518
Main Authors: Adler, Scott W., Wiig, Marie S., Skomedal, Asmund, Haug, Halvard, Marstein, Erik S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Climate
Climate models
Degradation
Inverters
Meteorology
Performance analysis
Performance evaluation
photovoltaic systems
Production
solar energy
solar panels
Temperature distribution
Time series analysis
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Summary:Accurate performance modeling of utility-scale PV plants is crucial for reducing the risk of investment, as well as improving operations and maintenance. In spite of much research, the precise rate at which PV plants degrade is still not well known. This article uses a well-known methodology for calculating degradation rates to assess the impact of climate on long-term performance. The RdTools analytic approach is used to perform a comparative case study of two utility-scale PV plants with the same setup and almost identical technology yet located in distinct climates. A significant difference is observed between the degradation rates of each park. The median of the nominal system degradation rate measured at the dc-side of the inverters in the hotter and more humid climate is -1.4%/yr, with 95% of the inverters between -1.5%/yr and -1.3%/yr, whereas in the temperate climate the median rate is -0.94%/yr, with 95% of the inverters between -1.0%/yr and -0.9%/yr. These results suggest that climate zones must be included when evaluating the long-term performance of PV plants.
ISSN:2156-3381
2156-3403
DOI:10.1109/JPHOTOV.2020.3043120