COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF MONOCRYSTALLINE, POLYCRYSTALLINE, AND THIN-FILM SOLAR PANELS UNDER VARYING SOLAR IRRADIANCE IN ABAKALIKI, EBONYI STATE, NIGERIA

This study investigated the comparative performance of monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and thin-film solar panels under varying solar irradiance and temperature conditions. The study employed an experimental design in which photovoltaic panels were exposed to natural sunlight during a seven-day rooftop experiment in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria, with measurements of solar irradiance, ambient temperature, voltage, current, and power output. All the panels were operated at a uniform tilt equal to the site’s latitude and the same orientation, with identical cleaning and maintenance procedures to ensure consistent solar exposure. Results show that monocrystalline panels achieved the highest mean power output (53.80 ± 15.05 W), voltage (18.49 ± 0.20 V), and current (2.91 ± 0.80 A), outperforming polycrystalline (45.69 ± 14.11 W; 17.73 ± 0.21 V; 2.57 ± 0.77 A) and thin-film panels (32.03 ± 10.24 W; 16.03 ± 0.34 V; 2.00 ± 0.65 A).The study concluded that monocrystalline panels have more technological advantage due to their higher and more consistent power output, voltage stability, and responsiveness to varying solar irradiance, making them better suited for energy-demanding applications, especially in warm, high-irradiance regions like Nigeria.