Effect of shadows on the performance of solar photovoltaic

Abstract

This chapter investigates the reduction in photovoltaic (PV) performance due to artificial factors generated by covering each row and column in an array of a solar panel. This covering leads to an overall degradation of the energy produced by that panel. Experiments on the shadow effects of artificial cover, which leads to degraded power generation, were conducted and analyses performed. The obtained results show that the variation in the reduction of PV voltage and power produced from each cell depends on the shadow effect created. Shading causes a decrease in the output of PV, and this chapter’s experiments illustrate the extent of that reduction. The difference between shading of cells in series, in parallel, and a combination of series and parallel with respect to time and temperature are also studied. Another factor examined is the artificial thickness of shadows on the surface that is causing the shading.