Effects of shading on current, voltage and power output of total cross-tied photovoltaic array configuration

The Philippines, being a tropical country, has a high photovoltaic (PV) energy generation potential that can help meet demand due to impending power supply shortage in the coming years. One factor that limits solar PV generation is nonuniform illumination or partial shading. Partial shading causes voltage and current mismatch which affect the performance of PV arrays. Partially shaded PV systems cannot operate at maximum efficiency because of shadows cast by the surrounding structures, foliage and cloud cover. In this study, the researchers observed the effects of partial shading on the voltage, current and power output of the total cross-tied (TCT) array configuration using 16 shading patterns. Results show that the TCT configuration has the ability to balance out the effects of uneven irradiance on the PV modules. This results in higher power output. However, this effect optimizes the power output most if shaded modules complete columns. Such cases minimize current mismatch among the rows in the array.