Optimizing Solar Energy Harvesting: A Comparative Study of PV Panel Performance Through Mathematical Modeling and Real-Time Analysis in Variable Ambient Conditions

Amidst the global push for cleaner energy production, the role of solar power is gaining significant importance. Its cost-effectiveness, lack of emissions, adaptability to available space, and year-round availability make it a compelling choice for energy generation. Photovoltaic panels (PV), crucial for establishing a solar plant, must be efficient for practical energy production. With numerous solar PV panels manufacturers globally, the costs and performance can vary for a given power output. In such a scenario, ensuring their efficiency before installation is essential to enable effective and sustainable energy generation throughout the operation. Therefore, this article proposes to compare the solar PV panel's actual power production with its mathematical model. A MATLAB Simulink-based model is used to analyze the PV panel's performance and compare it with real-time measurements from the panel under local ambient conditions. This comparison will help to identify the best panels to meet the essential requirements. In detail, the PV panel parameters from the manufacturer datasheet are fed to the model so that it behaves as its real-time model (actual panel). The performance obtained from the mathematical model is compared with the experimental data collected over three days. On which the ambient temperatures ranged from 27.9°C to 34.6°C. The results showcased a difference in fill factor between the mathematical model and the experimental data of the actual panel is nearly 20 %.