Implementation and Validation of Sandia Outdoor Photovoltaic Test Method and Performance Model at Arizona State University

This paper deals with the technology transfer of a specific photovoltaic (PV) module characterization procedure from Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) to Arizona State University Photovoltaic Testing Laboratory (ASU-PTL). This effort was intended to meet industry requests for independent module performance testing that provides the parameters (coefficients) required by the Sandia performance model. The objective of this work was two fold: (i) implement Sandia´s experimental methodology at ASU-PTL to collect and analyze sunrise-to-sunset module performance data; and (ii) validate Sandia´s performance model by comparing the modeled performance based on analysis of daylong data sets with performance determined using traditional standardized procedures. This paper reports lessons learned as well as the successful completion of this effort