Skip to main navigation Skip to search Skip to main content

Performance evaluation of an off-grid photovoltaic system in Saudi Arabia

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

124 Scopus citations

Abstract

The paper presents the performance evaluation analysis of a 5.28 kW installed capacity isolated grid photovoltaic power plant installed at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran Saudi Arabia in June 2010. The plant was equipped with temperature, solar radiation intensity, and PV (Photovoltaic) panel power output recording sensors for performance evaluation of the plant. The analysis presented the effect of PV surface temperature and dust collected on the panels on the power output of individual arrays and total power from complete plant. Furthermore, the PV panel performance was studied by DC (Direct current) performance ratio variation with PV panel backside surface temperature. Hourly mean energy yield was found to be decreasing with increasing PV panel surface temperature during the months of July & August 2010. The daily energy yield showed a decreasing trend with days of the month which could be accounted for dust accumulation on the PV panel surface. The DC performance ratio also showed a decreasing trend with increasing PV panel surface temperature.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)451-458
Number of pages8
JournalEnergy
Volume46
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2012

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to acknowledge the support and facilities of King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals; (KFUPM) ; Dhahran Saudi Arabia Special thanks are extended to the Center of Research Excellence in Renewable Energy at KFUPM for providing the technical and financial supports to undertake this study under grant CoRE-RE-07 .

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
    SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

  • DC performance ratio
  • PV efficiency
  • PV panel surface temperature
  • PV system
  • Solar radiation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Civil and Structural Engineering
  • Building and Construction
  • Modeling and Simulation
  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • Fuel Technology
  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology
  • Pollution
  • General Energy
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
  • Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Performance evaluation of an off-grid photovoltaic system in Saudi Arabia'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this