Implementation of a PV emulator using programmable DC power supply

Installation of a Photovoltaic (PV) system needs an accurate design and evaluation test for the performance of its modules before using them in a system. This can be fulfilled with high accuracy in the laboratory without using commercial PV modules by using a PV emulator. The PV emulator introduces a suitable tool which easily permits emulating PV system component with different parameters, teaching its characteristic and training researchers in this field. The main purpose of this paper is introducing the development of a Photovoltaics (PV) emulator has the capability of emulate commercial PV modules with different parameters and under different environmental condition (irradiance or temperature change), constructing a PV array based on the series and parallel numbers of modules. The PV emulator was implemented using a real-time algorithm representing the PV array mathematical model and generating the reference output power from a programmable DC power supply. The PV model is simulated in MATLAB and interfaced to the real world through dSPACE using an evolutionary graphic user interface (GUI). This laboratory PV emulator is tested with real-time execution of PV model for the steady state and dynamic operating conditions.