Power Loss Estimation of PV Modules Through IV-characteristics and Image Analysis

In this thesis a methodology utilizing IV-characteristics and image analysis to model power losses due to snow cover is presented. The objective of this dissertation is to investigate the performance of PV modules under different snow cover conditions by simulating and analyzing IV-curves. Additionally, investigating if image analysis could be useful in estimating snow cover, and could improve the modelled IV-curve power loss estimations. An IV-characteristics model in MATLAB Simulink was used to model situations with uniform and partial snow cover for different irradiance and snow depth conditions. The image analysis method was used to estimate PV module snow cover and used in combination …