Hotspots

PV modules are sensitive to shading. PV modules when shaded by the branch of a

leafless tree lose their power output. You will see and review this impact in lab
sections later in course.

Shading obstructions can be defined as semitransparent or opaque. If a tree

branch, roof vent, chimney or other item is shading from a distance, the shadow
is diffuse or dispersed. These sources can cause a good portion of the light from
reaching the cell(s) of a module. Opaque sources are defined as those that block
light from reaching the cell(s), such as a clothing, tree branch, bird dropping, or
the like, sitting directly on top of the glass. If even one full cell is covered with
something opaque the current of that module will drop to half of its unshaded
value in order to protect itself. If enough cells are blocked with opaque
obstructions, the module will not convert any energy and will, in fact, possibly
become a drain of energy on the entire system

FIG: - 1.1
Partial-shading even one cell of a 36-cell module will reduce its power output.
Because all cells are connected in a series string, even just one partially shaded
cell will bring the others down to its reduced power level. Therefore, whether ½
of one cell is shaded, or ½ a row of cells is shaded, the power decrease will be the
same and proportional to the percentage of area shaded, in this case 50%. There
are methods discussed later which minimize these issues.

When a full cell is shaded, it can become back biased, and absorb energy
produced by the other cells, installing appropriate by-pass diodes will shunt this
string of cells. If even one full cell in a series string is shaded, it will likely cause the
module to reduce its power level to ½ of its full available value. If a row of cells at
the bottom of a module is fully shaded the power output may drop to zero.

How it can be overcome?

Hot-spot heating occurs when there is one low current solar cell in a string
of at least several high short-circuit current solar cells, as shown in the
figure below.

FIG: - 1.2

One shaded cell in a string reduces the current

through the good cells, causing the good cells to
 produce higher voltages that can often reverse bias
the bad cell.

If the operating current of the overall series string approaches the short-
circuit current of the "bad" cell, the overall current becomes limited by the
bad cell. The extra current produced by the good cells then forward biases
the good solar cells. If the series string is short circuited, then the forward
bias across all these cells reverse biases the shaded cell. Hot-spot heating
occurs when many series connected cells cause a large reverse bias
across the shaded cell, leading to large dissipation of power in the poor
cell. Essentially the entire generating capacity of all the good cells is
dissipated in the poor cell. The enormous power dissipation occurring in a
small area results in local overheating, or "hot-spots", which in turn leads to
destructive effects, such as cell or glass cracking, melting of solder or
degradation of the solar cell.

FIG: -1.3
 REFERENCES

FIG 1.1 Retrieved from

https://www.lgenergy.com.au/faq/beware-cheap-solar-systems/what-is-
the-difference-between-entry-level-solar-panels-versus-the-slightly-more-
expensive-quality-ones

FIG 1.2 and 1.3 Retrieved from

https://www.pveducation.org/pvcdrom/modules-and-arrays/hot-spot-heating

Content Retrieved from

GORD WILKIE (2009) Photovoltaic grid design and installation;

Renewable energy techniques

https://reader.texidium.com/dist/#/book/9630