Seasonal variation analysis of the outdoor performance of amorphous Si photovoltaic modules using the contour map

The effects of module temperature (Tmod) and spectral irradiance distribution on the outdoor performance of amorphous Si (a-Si) photovoltaic (PV) modules were investigated using contour maps. Compared to PV modules based on crystalline Si, such as single-crystalline Si (sc-Si) and multicrystalline Si, a-Si PV modules exhibit complex behavior with seasonal variation. In this study, we statistically analyzed the outdoor performance of a-Si and sc-Si PV modules. The influence of environmental factors on outdoor performance of a-Si PV modules was analyzed for two seasons, spring and autumn, in which the data periods had nearly the same average Tmod and integrated irradiation. The outdoor performance of the a-Si PV module depends on both temperature history and light-induced degradation.