Seven-parameter PV model estimation using Differential Evolution

The electrical characteristics of PV panel can be represented by an equivalent electric circuit model. Major challenge lies in the accurate estimation of PV model parameters. In this study, a new and efficient approach is proposed to estimate the seven-parameter PV electric circuit model. Estimation process is converted to an optimization problem where differential evolution is employed to identify the model parameters using only the data provided by the manufacturer. The effectiveness of the proposed method is assessed by estimating the parameters of six PV panels of different technologies. These are mono-crystalline, poly-crystalline and thin film. The identified parameters are confirmed by comparing the modeled I–V curves with the experimental curves. In addition, comparison of well-known five-parameter and the estimated seven-parameter models is also carried out. The results show that the estimated seven-parameter model can simulate the output characteristics of PV panel more accurately.