Performance Analysis of Different Shading-Resistant PV Module Designs under Different Partial Shading Scenarios

Climate change and the energy crisis in Europe demand a higher integration of renewable energy into the energy system. To achieve the photovoltaic (PV) installation goals of the European Union for the implementation of 600 GWp of PV installations by 2023, a higher rate of PV installation in both commercial and residential rooftops is expected. Residential rooftop systems suffer from partial shadings in most installations. Even 5% shading of the module area can lead to a total shutdown of the system. In this work, three different shade-resistant PV module designs are simulated, evaluated, and benchmarked against the standard PV module under six different shading scenarios of single-cell, single-row, single-column, multiple-row, multiple-column, and diagonal shading. It is shown that higher shade tolerance can be achieved by the implementation of even fewer bypass diodes compared to the first generation of hot-spot-free and shade-resistant module of AESOLAR with one single bypass diode for each cell. The results show 8%, 10%, and 14% power gain compared to the standard half-cell module over all six shading scenarios. It can be concluded that a promising shade tolerance leading to a higher energy yield, better durability and consequently a lower levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) can be achieved.