Do photovoltaic power stations prefer heat or are they sensitive to heat?
Photovoltaic power stations cannot do without sunlight, but do they prefer heat or are they sensitive to it? Does installing a photovoltaic power station in a hotter area necessarily lead to higher electricity generation?
Overheating environments actually have a negative impact on power generation. The open-circuit voltage of a single solar cell decreases as the temperature rises. With a temperature coefficient of -0.33%/°C, for every 1°C increase in temperature, the open-circuit voltage of a single solar cell in a 60-cell module drops by 120 to 125 mV. On the other hand, the short-circuit current of a solar cell increases with temperature. Another parameter to consider is the peak power of the cell, which decreases as the temperature rises. For every 1°C increase in the installation environment's temperature, the peak power loss rate of the solar cell is approximately 0.41%.
A polycrystalline silicon solar cell operating at 20°C can have up to 20% higher output power than one operating at 70°C. Conversely, if a region has average light resources but lower annual temperatures, the overall efficiency of the power station can be significantly improved.
In tropical regions, where the annual average temperature is often above 20°C, as the temperature increases, the photoelectric conversion efficiency continues to decline. The power temperature coefficient is generally around -0.4%/°C. If the temperature loss in common domestic systems is around 2-3%, the loss caused by high temperatures in tropical regions can be about three times higher, ultimately reducing the power output of the power station.
In photovoltaic systems, solar panels are sensitive to heat, and inverters are also sensitive to heat. Inverters are composed of many electronic components, which generate heat during operation. Manufacturers use heat sinks, fans, and other methods to reduce internal heat during the design and development process. If the inverter's temperature gets too high, the performance of the components will decrease, which in turn will affect the lifespan of the entire inverter.