Performance Degradation Analysis of 100 W Solar Pv Module: an Experimental Study

Abstract

Photovoltaic (PV) systems are increasingly being deployed for distributed and utility-scale power generation. However, accurate estimation of long-term performance degradation and economic return remains essential for system planning. This study examines the longitudinal performance of an experimental 100 W poly-crystalline solar PV module using annual average daily measurement to analyse the payback economics and end of life forecasting. The measurement performed is for current, voltage, power, irradiance, and temperature under fixed load condition. The results show that the cumulative energy degradation is 4.57% over period from 2022 to 2025 and the average annual decline is 1.52%. The payback period for small scale PV system is around 5 years. When a small system scales to a large scale PV system, the payback period improves and overall improvement in efficiency and performance analysis. The performance behavior of the module and the energy-generating features are assessed using the gathered field data. The end-of-life (EOL) performance of the PV module is estimated using a lifetime model based on degradation. Afterward, the payback economics of the PV system is calculated based on the installation cost, energy production, and the electricity tariff. In the later stage, the results are generalized for a 1 MW solar PV-plant to analyse the large-scale feasibility.