Indoor and Outdoor Characterizations of Photovoltaic Module Based on Mulicrystalline Solar Cells

One of the main missions for the photovoltaic laboratory concerns the preparation and development of norms and standards for photovoltaic (PV) systems. To reach this objective, we have initiated a program research to identify the present of state of the art to develop specific measuring methods and test procedures for photovoltaic module and also, to develop laboratory test. Within this program we have executed since several years series of performance characterizations in indoor and outdoor testing on PV modules produced in industry and covering both series and prototype designs. This work describes the methodology, basic procedures and instrumental employed by our laboratory for the determination of photovoltaic module characteristics. According to this methodology, the main electrical and thermal parameters were determined for multicrystalline PV module under diverse conditions. The tests were based on IEC 61215 specification which had been prepared especially for this purpose and which are used as an international standard