Performance evaluation of different photovoltaic technologies in the region of Ifrane, Morocco

• Published in: Energy for sustainable development Vol. 52; pp. 96 - 103
• Main Authors: Ameur, Arechkik, Sekkat, Abderrahime, Loudiyi, Khalid, Aggour, Mohammed
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.10.2019
• Subjects: Amorphous; Economic analysis; Monocrystalline; Performance evaluation; Photovoltaic; Polycrystalline; Performance evaluation; Monocrystalline; Amorphous; Economic analysis; Polycrystalline; Photovoltaic
• ISSN: 0973-0826
• DOI: 10.1016/j.esd.2019.07.007

This study aims at analyzing and comparing several indices that evaluate the performance of different grid connected photovoltaic technologies, namely amorphous silicon (a-Si), Polycrystalline silicon (pc-Si), and Monocrystalline silicon (mc-Si) generating around 2 kWp each and set up a forecast studies for future perspectives. These technologies are connected to a low voltage (400 V) three phase electrical grid of Al Akhawayn University (33° North, 5° West) facing south on a flat surface, 32° tilted with zero azimuth, and without including any tracking system. This work is done within the framework of Propre.ma project aiming at establishing a photovoltaic yield maps throughout Morocco. The experimental and theoretical horizontal irradiances of Ifrane’s region, simulated with the Davies and Hay model on the MATLAB’s software, are compared in the following study. Besides, the evaluation of different technologies is based on the (annual/monthly/daily) AC energy output, the performance ratio, the system efficiency, and the capacity factor that are calculated and measured from data gathered between October 2014 and the end of 2018. An economic analysis was carried out in order to define the levelized cost of electricity of the three technologies. Eventually, the obtained results confirm that the polycrystalline technology is the most cost-effective technology for the region of Ifrane. •The comparison of experimental irradiance and semi-empirical model was presented.•The performance evaluation of PV technologies namely mc-Si, pc-Si, and a-Si was performed.•Average performance ratio of crystalline technology was 77% and 73% for amorphous.•The estimated LCOE demonstrates that the pc-Si is cheaper than mc-Si and a-Si technology.•The pc-Si represents the most cost-effective technology for the Ifrane region.