The Influence of Environmental Factors on a Photovoltaic Panel–PVsyst Simulation

Abstract

Renewable energy sources and the CO2 emissions in the atmosphere are predicted to play a very important role in attaining the climate neutrality by the half of this century. The rapid depletion of fossil fuel reserves and the looming threat of climate change have intensified the global pursuit of renewable energy sources as a viable alternative. The positive aspect of using renewable energy sources is that this kind of resources can easily supply the worlds energy needs. Despite the fact that we cannot capture all this energy, harnessing less than 0.02 % would be enough to cover all the necessary energy needs. Obstacles to expanding solar power generation involve the substantial cost of manufacturing solar cells and the dependency on weather conditions. The efficiency and performance of photovoltaic panels are inherently tied to environmental variables, prominently including climate factors. This article investigates the intricate relationship between climatic conditions and photovoltaic panel yields, offering crucial insights for optimizing the solar energy generations. It has been analysed the impact of environmental factors such as ambient temperature, wind speed and air humidity above the yield of photovoltaic panels. For each environmental factor, the variable conditions were simulated to highlight their correlation with positive or negative effect they have on the yield of a photovoltaic panel. By perusing this material, readers can develop a comprehensive grasp of how the environment conditions can influence the production of electricity using the photoelectric effect. Leveraging empirical data and simulation models using the PVsyst software, the analysis discerns regional variations and seasonal fluctuations in photovoltaic panels yields according to diverse climatic factors regimes.