Novel reference condition independent method for estimating performance for PV modules based on double-diode model

The traditional methods for performance estimation mainly include two steps: determine the model parameters under reference condition and calculate the model parameters at varying operating conditions through transformation equations. These methods have the disadvantages of being influenced by the selection of reference condition. A novel reference condition independent method is proposed based on double-diode model (DDM) for parameter calculation and performance estimation at varying operating conditions for photovoltaic (PV) modules. In the proposed method, a new set of transformation equations is reconstructed according to the dependence of physical parameters in DDM on irradiance and temperature. All coefficients in the proposed transformation equations are independent of the information under reference condition and applicable to all varying operating conditions, which eliminates the influence of reference condition. The coefficients are optimized by fitting measured I–V data at varying operating conditions using guaranteed convergence particle swarm optimization technology, and used for model parameters calculation at varying operating conditions. Then the output property of PV module under any operating condition can be determined independently, first against the reference condition and then against the model parameters under reference condition. The accuracy and applicability of proposed method is validated by massive experimental data for six different types of PV modules under wide range of operating conditions. Moreover, three traditional methods are selected to compare with the proposed method. The proposed method shows better accuracy in I–V, P–V curve and maximum power point estimation under different irradiance and temperature conditions, which can be further used to predict the output power of PV system.