Three-Year Performance Evaluation of Single Junction Amorphous Solar Cells Grid-Connected Power Station in Libya

Photovoltaic (PV) conservation of solar energy is one of the most promising sources of future energy. Grid-connected PV systems are widely used in many countries, but in Libya it is just started. A PV grid-connected of 24？KWP PV system has been installed as a pilot project to deliver AC energy to the Tripoli University electric grid; the system is of single junction amorphous solar cells which were erected in Sep. 2009; it consists of 240 Mitsubishi thin film amorphous PV Modules of MA100T2 type capable of supplying 100 Watts of DC power each, five inverters of type SMA Sunny Mini Central, and the system is equipped with a data logger to record all important parameters. In this paper the evaluation of the PV system performance was carried out according to the European guidelines of the PV system operation. The results of the measured parameters, namely, the performance ratio, AC energy yearly yield, the temperature dependent, and the system efficiency, showed that the system is performing better than the deigned parameters. 1. Introduction Early applications of PV systems were made as standalone PV systems, while at the end of the last century the era of grid-connected PV systems became a reality as a result of high fuel prices [1]. Research and development were focused on utilizing different technologies and PV systems for better performance toward a reliable and stable power sources for a sustainable future energy [2, 3]. In Libya standalone PV systems were put into work since 1976, in communication as a power supply for isolated repeater stations. Later applications came as rural electrification, water pumping, and cathodic protection; many studies have been conducted to evaluate the performance of utilizing standalone systems in Libya [4–6]; the evaluations of some of these systems showed that the systems were performing with very high performance ratio, and high global system efficiencies; in 2009 few grid-connected PV systems were installed to evaluate these kinds of applications with Libyan electric grid. One of the grid-connected systems which was installed in Tripoli University in 2009 is a 24？KWp single junction amorphous Solar Cells grid-connected power station. The construction of a 24？KWp grid-connected solar station came as a result of signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Tripoli University and Mitsubishi Corporation. The system was constructed from 240 Mitsubishi thin film PV Modules of MA100T2 type capable of supplying 100 Watts of DC power each with a total area of 382.77？m2 [7]. The tilt angle of modules is equal to 25°.