Solar Cell Parameters Extraction Using Rao-3 algorithm

The extraction of solar cell parameters is a subject of significant interest, as it plays a crucial role in predicting the performance and behavior of solar cells, as well as in evaluating their efficiency. This paper presents a simple, efficient, and reliable metaheuristic optimization technique, i.e. the Rao-3 algorithm, for extracting five key electrical parameters of a solar cell from a single illuminated current–voltage (I–V) characteristic. An interactive numerical simulation has been developed using LabVIEW as the programming platform to implement the algorithm. The consistency and accuracy of the Rao-3 algorithm have been validated by applying it to reported I–V data of various types of solar cells, including silicon, plastic, and CIGS cells. The parameter values obtained through this approach show excellent agreement with those reported in the literature. Furthermore, the self-developed program has been tested on experimentally measured I–V characteristics of a monocrystalline silicon solar cell. The results indicate that the Rao-3 algorithm consistently converges to stable and repeatable parameter values. This study demonstrates that the proposed program, based on the Rao-3 algorithm, can be effectively applied to a wide range of solar cells and modules for parameter extraction from a single illuminated I–V curve, using only a few control variables. Key Words: Solar Cells, Parameters extraction, Rao-3 algorithm, I-V characteristics.