Temperature Characterization of Solar Module Voltage Generation

The silicon solar module voltage generation at various periods of the day has been studied. Two mono-crystalline modules with and without cooling system have been designed and built. The experimental investigation performed on both modules under the same ambient conditions shows a significant performance variation both within the various periods of the day and between the cooled and uncooled modules. The voltage generation is found to be affected by changes in module surface temperature which is a function of the ambient temperature. It is thought that low module surface temperature aids the preservation of the orderliness of electron activities hence improved voltage generation.