Partially shaded characterization effect on two different single crystalline photovoltaic modules with bypass diode

Abstract

One of the main causes of losses in energy generation within photovoltaic (PV) systems is the partial shading on photovoltaic modules. A PV system can easily lose a significant portion of its total output with only minimal shading. A bypass diode in the module will form an alternating path for the current generated from the unshaded parts and prevent these cells/modules from damage in the array. Because solar cells are not designed to support a reverse voltage, they may be degraded, depending on the applied voltage. Virtually all modern PV modules include bypass diodes. The purpose of this work is the study of power decrease of a commercially available single-crystalline silicon photovoltaic module under varying shading with bypass diode. Without shading the tested module generates 75W and 120 W at maximum power under rated conditions.