UNIVERSITY OF ENERGY AND NATURAL

RESOURCES

DEPARTMENT OF RENEWABLE AND

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

MINI PROJECT REPORT- EFFECT OF SHADING

ON SOLAR PV

Nigrey Nathaniel Nibenob

(nathaniel.nigrey@gmail.com)

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 - Introduction 4- 6

1.1 Abstract 4

1.2 Background 4

1.3 Operation of a PV 4, 5
1.31 Doping 5, 6

Chapter 2 7- 8

2.1 Literature review 7

2.2 Problem statement 7

2.3 Aim 8

Chapter 3 - Methodology 9-11

3.1 Equipment 9
3.12 Diagram 9

3.2 Experiment 9- 10
3.21 Step 1 9
3.22 Step 2 10
3.23 Step 3 10

Chapter 4- Research findings and recommendations

4.1 Research results 11

4.12 Recorded Values

Day 1

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 Day 2
Day 3

4.13 MS Excel representation 12

4.2 Conclusions 13

4.3 Recommendations 13

REFERENCE 14, 15

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CHAPTER 1

1.1 ABSTACT

At short circuit, the solar module produces electric current but no voltage. At open circuit, the
solar module produces voltage but no current. Electric power is defined as the product of the
current and the voltage. Hence, in either the short circuit or open circuit, the solar module
produces no power. Somewhere in between these two operating points is the Maximum Power
point of the solar module where the maximum power possible is being generated. Partial shading
due to moving clouds and shadows of nearby obstacles on the PV module array causes
significant efficiency degradation, since shaded and non-shaded PV modules have large
discrepancy in their maximum power points. Use of by-pass diodes for each PV module may
mitigate the negative effect from partial shading. However, this method alone may still face
severe energy efficiency degradation caused by the energy loss due to parasitic effects in the
Electrical Energy Storage (EES) elements under variable incoming power from the PV modules.
Hence, this paper investigates the effect of shading on photovoltaic cells.

1.2 BACKGROUND

Photovoltaic (Photo from the Greek word for “light” and Volt for electricity pioneer Alessandro
Volta) technology makes use of the abundant energy in the sun, and it has little impact on our
environment. Photovoltaic is the direct conversion of light (Photons) into electricity (Voltage) at
the atomic level.

Some materials exhibit a property known as the photoelectric effect (discovered and described
by Becquerel in 1839) [1] that causes them to absorb photons of light and release electrons.
When these free electrons are captured, an electric current (flow of free electrons) results which
can be used for electricity.

1.3 OPERATION OF A PV

A crystal of pure silicon has a cubic structure. The silicon atom has four valence electrons. Each
atom is held firmly in the crystal lattice by sharing two electrons with each of the four neighbors
at equal distance from it. [2]
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When an electron in the junction is stimulated by an incoming photon, it jumps from the valence
band into the conduction band (creating a voltage of 0.5V at the contacts [4]), hence leaving a
behind a hole in the valence band. Under the influence of the reverse electric field around the
junction, the electrons will move into the n-region and the holes into the p-region. [1] The flow of
electrons to the n-region is by definition, an electric current. By the introduction of an external
circuit, the moving electrons from inside the semiconductor can be collected and used to power a
load.

Fig. 3[7]

As already mentioned, in a semiconductor, the current is explained by the movement of electrons

and holes. The number of electrons in the valence band can be increased by doping the silicon
with a pentavalent atom or by increasing the number of holes in the conduction band by doping
the silicon with a trivalent atom. [3]

1.31 Doping

The silicon is doped with a pentavalent atom say phosphorus, so that not all the electrons from the
pentavalent atom are used up in bonding with the four valent electrons from the silicon. As a result, there
is an excess of free electrons (negative charges). This therefore creates what is known as an n-type
semiconductor. [2]

In another instance, the silicon atom is doped with a trivalent atom say boron, so that there is an excess of
holes (positive charges) in the bond after all the electrons of the trivalent atom has bonded with the
electrons from the silicon. As a result of this a p-type semiconductor is created. [2]
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When the p-type and n-type semiconductors are brought together, they form a p-n junction. At the
junction, some of the electrons in the immediate vicinity of the junction are attracted from the n-side to
combine with holes on the nearby p-side. Similarly, holes on the p-side near the junction are attracted to
combine with electrons on the nearby n-side. [2]

The reason for this, is to set up around the junction, a layer on the n-side that is more positively charged
than it will normally be and on the p-side, a layer that is more negatively charged than it will otherwise
be. In effect, this means that a reverse electric field is set up around the junction: negative on the p-side
and positive on the n-side.

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CHAPTER 2

2.1 Literature review

The impact of partial shading on PV system has been studied at great length in the past [15]-[16].
Some past studies assume that the decrease in power production is proportional to the shaded
area and reduction in solar irradiance, thus introducing the concept of shading factor. While this
concept is true for a single cell, the decrease in power at the module or array level is often far
from linearity with the shaded portion [17]. Other past studies tend to be rather complicated and
difficult to follow by someone with limited knowledge on electronic/solid-state physics [18].

2.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT

Among some of the factors that can affect the performance of a solar PV cell are solar irradiance,
temperature, critical factor and shading [5]. Solar photovoltaic panels actually consist of a
number of solar photovoltaic cells that are wired together into a series circuit. This means that
when the power output of a single cell is significantly reduced, the power output for the whole
system in series is reduced to the level of current passing through the weakest cell. Therefore, a
small amount of shading can significantly reduce the performance of your entire solar
photovoltaic panels system [14]. As can be concluded from the statement above, shading, is one
of the factors that effect to a very great degree the performance of the PV cell, in that, the
shading of 10% of the area of a system could cause a loss of 50% [6]. Rapid fluctuation in the
shading patterns makes maximum power point tracking very difficult. For any given PV module,
there may be multiple local MPPs and their values will change rapidly as does the illumination
[5]. This proves to be a headache for both the manufacturer and the consumer, since rated power
may at times not be met.

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2.3 AIM

 The specific objective of this work is to clarify the impact of shading on a solar
panel performance in relatively simple terms that can be followed by a power engineer
or PV system designer without difficulty.

 Determine the impact of partial shading on the I-V and P-V curves and plot it in
Microsoft Excel.

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Chapter 3

3.1 EQUIPMENT

Instruments and Equipment to be used for the test includes;

Multimeter
Clip/ connector
Solar module
Connecting wires
Piece of cardboard (Serves as shade)
All the above are to be provided by the department.

3.12 DIAGRAM

Multimeter

Solar panel

3.2 EXPERIMENTS

3.21 Step 1

1. If the PV module does not have wires already attached to it, we attach an appreciable length of
wire to each terminal of the PV module. The module should have either clips or hooks around
which you can manually twist the wire.

2. Following safety precautions, we attach the red wire from the PV module to the red lead of
the multimeter (either clip or wrap the wires together).
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3. Similarly, attach the black wires from the PV module to the black lead of the multimeter. As
in the diagram above.

4. Set the solar cell facing towards a source of light. (The sun)

5. After exposing the sun to the PV cell, check to see if you are getting a current reading. If the
ammeter shows no current, check the wire connections.

6. Measure the Short Circuit Current and Open Circuit Voltage.

3.32 Step 2

1. With just 1 PV module in the circuit, shade 1/4 of the PV cell with a piece of cardboard
or paper and take a reading of both current and voltage on the ammeter. Shade 1/2, 3/4
and then all of the photovoltaic cell, while taking readings of current and voltages at each
level.

2. Record the readings in Data Table 1.

Amount of shade Current Voltage Power

No Shading
½ Shading
¾ Shading
¼ Shading
Data Table. 1

3.33 Step 3

1. Place the data in MS. Excel. Plot the IV curve, with current in the vertical axis, and voltage
in the horizontal axis.

2. Plot another graph, with power in the vertical axis, and the voltage in the horizontal axis.
This is the power graph

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CHAPTER 4

4.1 Research results

4.12 Recorded Values

Day 1:

Amount of shade Current Voltage Power

No Shading
½ Shading
¾ Shading
¼ Shading

Day 2

Amount of shade Current Voltage Power

No Shading
½ Shading
¾ Shading
¼ Shading

Day 3

Amount of shade Current Voltage Power

No Shading
½ Shading
¾ Shading
¼ Shading

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4.13 MS Excel representation

I- V Curve

Power Curve

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4.2 Conclusion

4.3 Recommendations

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REFERENCES

[1] The Science of Renewable Energy- Frank Spellman and Revonna Bieber.

[2] Renewable Energy. Power for a Sustainable Future. Second Edition- Edited by Godfrey
Boyle.

[3] Introduction to Renewable Energy- Vaughn Nelson.

[4] Renewable Energy. The Facts- Dieter Seifried and Walter Witzel.

[5] Solar PV Performances- Issues and Challenges- Subhash Kumar, Dr. Tarlochan Kaur

[6] Green Rhino Energy- www.greenrhinoenergy.com/solar/performance/shading.php

[7] Solar Photovoltaic Energy Generation and Conversion- From Devices to Grid Integration-
HUIYING ZHENG, SHUHUI LI, TIM A. HASKEW JABER ABU QAHOUQ, DAWEN LI ,
MIN SUN.

[8] Shading Effects on Output Power of Grid Connected Photovoltaic Generator Systems - R. E.
Hanitsch, Detlef Schulz and Udo Siegfried

[9] Effect of Shading on Series and Parallel Connected Solar PV Modules- Ramaprabha
Ramabadran, Rajiv Gandhi Salai,

[10] EXPERIMENTS with PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS for high school science students- Dick
Erickson, Frank Vignola

[11] Effect of Shading on Photovoltaic Cell- Ekpenyong, and Anyasi.

[12] https://www.google.com.gh/search?q=multimeter&hl=en-US&biw=360&bih=580&prmd=ivn&

[13]https://www.google.com.gh/search?q=experiment+to+determine+the+effect+of+shading+on+So
lar+PV&hl=en-
US&biw=360&bih=580&prmd=niv&source=Inms&tbm=isch&sa+X&ved=OCAYQ_AUoVChMIs
q-TjoWXyQIVAoMaCh21JqE8#imgrc=OAuUArDKcZxsXM%3A

[14] J. Perlin. From Space To Earth (The Story Of Solar Electricity). Harvard University Press:
London, 1999.

[15] K. Gil, (2004) “How do Photovoltaic Work?” Science News.1 (1), p 4.

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[16] L. David. “Handbook of Batteries”. McGraw-Hill: New York, 2002.

[17] “Wiring solar panels”. Internet: www.solar-facts.com/wiring solar panels, Dec. 5, 2011

[18] “How charge controllers work”. Internet: www.altestore.com/charge-controllers/c432

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