Modeling of the nominal operating cell temperature based on outdoor weathering

Simple analytical and statistical models for the evaluation of the temperature of PV-modules from climatic data (ambient temperature, global solar irradiation, and wind speed) are investigated. The parameters which describe the effects of cell technology and module design were evaluated from outdoor exposure data at different climatic regions. The models were validated by comparison of the simulated module temperatures with measured module temperatures at different test sites. A simplified way to determine a Realistic Nominal Module Temperature (ROMT) instead of the Nominal Operating Cell Temperature (NOCT) is proposed.

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► The applicability of a simple model for the simulation of the transient temperature loads on PV-modules could be proven.
► The simulated temperatures can be used for estimation of the energy gain.
► The simulated temperatures can be used for estimation of the thermal stress on the materials.
► A simpler way to determine the Nominal Operating Module Temperature (NOCT) can be proposed.