Do PV system commissioning standards require performance testing?

This best practice guide is PV System Commissioning or re-Commissioning Guide Supplement to characterize and maximize PV system performance. If a PV system is commissioned using industry standards, then it should produce as much energy as was expected, right? No, PV industry commissioning standards do not call for performance testing.

Why do we need a performance guarantee for a large photovoltaic system?

Documentation of the energy yield of a large photovoltaic (PV) system over a substantial period can be useful to measure a performance guarantee, as an assessment of the health of the system, for verification of a performance model to then be applied to a new system, or for a variety of other purposes.

How do you test a photovoltaic system?

The power generation of a photovoltaic (PV) system may be documented by a capacity test [1, 2] that quantifies the power output of the system at set conditions, such as an irradiance of 1000 W/m2, an ambient temperature of 20°C, and a wind speed of 1 m/s. A longer test must be used to verify the system performance under a range of conditions.

How can outdoor I–V measurements be used to monitor PV performance?

Outdoor I–V measurements can be used to monitor the PV performance via model-based difference analysis and correction-based analysis [ 47 ]. Model-based difference analysis relies on comparing measured and simulated I–V characteristics for a certain outdoor condition.

What is a good test voltage for a PV module?

For example, consider a single-ended test of a PV string with Voc of 475V and a PV module maximum system voltage spec of 1000V. Setting the meg tester’s test voltage to 500V will keep all points in the circuit below 1000V.

Should PV performance and safety measurements be included in the commissioning stage?

The SunSpec Asset Lifecycle Performance Standards Committee received the message from industry professionals, investors and PV system owners that PV performance and safety measurements must be included in the commissioning stage of a project. This was confirmed in a survey performed in December, 2012 and repeated in July, 2013.