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Solar Photovoltaic Modules Degradation Rate Comparison and Data Analysis

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Conference

2018 ASEE Mid-Atlantic Section Spring Conference

Location

Washington, District of Columbia

Publication Date

April 6, 2018

Start Date

April 6, 2018

End Date

April 7, 2018

Tagged Topic

Diversity

Page Count

6

DOI

10.18260/1-2--29490

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/29490

Download Count

1862

Paper Authors

biography

Dugwon Seo Queensborough Community College, City University of New York

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Dr. Dugwon Seo is an assistant professor in Engineering Technology Department at Queensborough Community College. Dr. Seo has been teaching engineering technology courses including digital circuit, computer applications, computer-aided analysis, and renewable energy. Her research interest includes various renewable energy, digital circuit system, remote sensing, and technology education.

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biography

Jeffrey L. Schwartz P.E. Queensborough Community College

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Jeffrey L. Schwartz received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, in 1993 and the M.B.A. degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, in 2001. Since 2009, he has been an Assistant Professor with the Engineering Technology Department, Queensborough Community College, Bayside, Queens, New York.

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Abstract

As part of the state’s NY-Sun initiative, use of solar power in New York State has grown 575% from 2012 to 2015. The increase of solar power users in spite of the relatively high upfront cost of solar photovoltaic (PV) module installation is due to the high estimation of Return on Investment. However, most ROI estimation neglects the functional decline of efficiency of power generation over time (degradation rate). As the use of solar power is growing, the accurate prediction of power delivery over time in PV modules is important. The total power delivery to the electric system with a certain amount of solar radiation depends on both how efficiently a solar PV module converts sunlight into power and how this relationship changes over time. The Engineering Technology Department at Queensborough Community College has installed three major types of PV modules: monocrystalline, polycrystalline and thin film by four different manufacturers, on the southeast roof of the Technology Building. The main goal of this research is to estimate each type of solar PV module’s degradation rate and compare the changes in the efficiencies with seven years of datasets in New York’s climate. Knowing which type of solar PV module degrades slower or faster will provide crucial information to potential solar power users in New York.

Seo, D., & Schwartz, J. L. (2018, April), Solar Photovoltaic Modules Degradation Rate Comparison and Data Analysis Paper presented at 2018 ASEE Mid-Atlantic Section Spring Conference, Washington, District of Columbia. 10.18260/1-2--29490

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