Calculating the Operating Temperature and Efficiency of Photovoltaic Panels in Vietnamese Conditions

Abstract

The efficiency of photovoltaic panels depends heavily on their operating temperature. Typically, this temperature is evaluated under steady-state conditions, which may not fully capture real-world performance. In this study, we calculated the operating temperature of photovoltaic panels under dynamic, unstable conditions using the energy balance method. Environmental data, including ambient temperature and wind speed, were sourced from the hottest days of 2023 in Hanoi, Danang, and Ho Chi Minh City. At solar irradiance levels of 600, 800, and 1000 W/m², the operating temperature increased by 9.6 K, 8.3 K, and 3.8 K, respectively, leading to lower conversion efficiencies to the manufacturer's nominal values. These findings emphasize the importance of considering real-world, dynamic conditions when evaluating the performance of photovoltaic systems.