Thermal effects of microinverter placement on the performance of silicon photovoltaics

Nicholas U. Day; Chase C. Reinhart; Shaun DeBow; Matthew K. Smith; David J. Sailor; Erik Johansson; Carl C. Wamser

doi:10.1016/j.solener.2015.12.023

Thermal effects of microinverter placement on the performance of silicon photovoltaics

Nicholas U. Day, Chase C. Reinhart, Shaun DeBow, Matthew K. Smith, David J. Sailor, Erik Johansson, Carl C. Wamser

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Typical installation of a microinverter in a plane parallel position on the back side of a monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) panel can lead to differential heating of the PV cells immediately above the microinverter by as much as 4. °C. Rotation of the microinverter to a perpendicular position allows the microinverter itself to run cooler by about 4. °C and completely removes the distinctive heat signature on the panels. Because the thermal effects of the microinverters are significant for only two of the 72 cells on the panel, changes in DC power output from the panels are not detectable. However, lower microinverter temperatures increase microinverter efficiency by about 0.65%, such that overall AC power production is increased by about 0.09%. In addition to these small improvements to be gained by the repositioning of microinverters, there are also potential long-term concerns that nonuniform heating may lead to accelerated degradation in the affected area of the panel.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	444-452
Number of pages	9
Journal	Solar Energy
Volume	125
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2015.12.023
State	Published - Feb 1 2016
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Microinverter efficiency
PV panel efficiency
Temperature effects

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Materials Science(all)

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10.1016/j.solener.2015.12.023

Cite this

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title = "Thermal effects of microinverter placement on the performance of silicon photovoltaics",

abstract = "Typical installation of a microinverter in a plane parallel position on the back side of a monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) panel can lead to differential heating of the PV cells immediately above the microinverter by as much as 4. °C. Rotation of the microinverter to a perpendicular position allows the microinverter itself to run cooler by about 4. °C and completely removes the distinctive heat signature on the panels. Because the thermal effects of the microinverters are significant for only two of the 72 cells on the panel, changes in DC power output from the panels are not detectable. However, lower microinverter temperatures increase microinverter efficiency by about 0.65%, such that overall AC power production is increased by about 0.09%. In addition to these small improvements to be gained by the repositioning of microinverters, there are also potential long-term concerns that nonuniform heating may lead to accelerated degradation in the affected area of the panel.",

keywords = "Microinverter efficiency, PV panel efficiency, Temperature effects",

author = "Day, {Nicholas U.} and Reinhart, {Chase C.} and Shaun DeBow and Smith, {Matthew K.} and Sailor, {David J.} and Erik Johansson and Wamser, {Carl C.}",

note = "Funding Information: The work was supported by NSF CBET (Grant No. 0853933 ), PSU Institute for Sustainable Solutions, Oregon BEST, Portland General Electric, and the City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services. MKS was supported by an NSF REU summer fellowship (Grant No. 1004737 ) and a Portland State University Innovation Grant . We are grateful to Frank Vignola and Rich Kessler of the University of Oregon Solar Radiation Monitoring Laboratory for their help with calculating the short-wave solar irradiation for the specific orientation of the panels, as well as their ongoing support of the photovoltaic systems at Portland State University. We are also grateful to Keith E. James and Seth Moody for their assistance with the setup of the PSU Photovoltaic Test Facility and the data acquisition systems. ",

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doi = "10.1016/j.solener.2015.12.023",

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AU - Day, Nicholas U.

AU - Reinhart, Chase C.

AU - DeBow, Shaun

AU - Smith, Matthew K.

AU - Sailor, David J.

AU - Johansson, Erik

AU - Wamser, Carl C.

N1 - Funding Information: The work was supported by NSF CBET (Grant No. 0853933 ), PSU Institute for Sustainable Solutions, Oregon BEST, Portland General Electric, and the City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services. MKS was supported by an NSF REU summer fellowship (Grant No. 1004737 ) and a Portland State University Innovation Grant . We are grateful to Frank Vignola and Rich Kessler of the University of Oregon Solar Radiation Monitoring Laboratory for their help with calculating the short-wave solar irradiation for the specific orientation of the panels, as well as their ongoing support of the photovoltaic systems at Portland State University. We are also grateful to Keith E. James and Seth Moody for their assistance with the setup of the PSU Photovoltaic Test Facility and the data acquisition systems.

PY - 2016/2/1

Y1 - 2016/2/1

N2 - Typical installation of a microinverter in a plane parallel position on the back side of a monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) panel can lead to differential heating of the PV cells immediately above the microinverter by as much as 4. °C. Rotation of the microinverter to a perpendicular position allows the microinverter itself to run cooler by about 4. °C and completely removes the distinctive heat signature on the panels. Because the thermal effects of the microinverters are significant for only two of the 72 cells on the panel, changes in DC power output from the panels are not detectable. However, lower microinverter temperatures increase microinverter efficiency by about 0.65%, such that overall AC power production is increased by about 0.09%. In addition to these small improvements to be gained by the repositioning of microinverters, there are also potential long-term concerns that nonuniform heating may lead to accelerated degradation in the affected area of the panel.

AB - Typical installation of a microinverter in a plane parallel position on the back side of a monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) panel can lead to differential heating of the PV cells immediately above the microinverter by as much as 4. °C. Rotation of the microinverter to a perpendicular position allows the microinverter itself to run cooler by about 4. °C and completely removes the distinctive heat signature on the panels. Because the thermal effects of the microinverters are significant for only two of the 72 cells on the panel, changes in DC power output from the panels are not detectable. However, lower microinverter temperatures increase microinverter efficiency by about 0.65%, such that overall AC power production is increased by about 0.09%. In addition to these small improvements to be gained by the repositioning of microinverters, there are also potential long-term concerns that nonuniform heating may lead to accelerated degradation in the affected area of the panel.

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KW - PV panel efficiency

KW - Temperature effects

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Thermal effects of microinverter placement on the performance of silicon photovoltaics

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Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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