Construction and Comparison of Outdoor PV Test Stands in Different Climate Zones

For the evaluation of the photovoltaic (PV) energy yield and potential investment decisions, the knowledge of the actual energy produced per year is far more important than the nominal peak power under standard test conditions (STC) in the laboratory. However, the actual energy yield strongly depends on the geographical location of the installation [1, 2, 3]. Therefore, within the PROMISE project, outdoor PV test stands were installed in different climate zones (Köppen climate classification): in the Humid Temperate zone (Germany), in the Mediterranean zone (Malta), in the Temperate zone (Austria), in the Mediterranean zone (France), and in Navarra, Spain, where the Alpine, Atlantic, and Mediterranean zones converge.