Method and apparatus for determining key performance photovoltaic characteristics using sensors from module-level power electronics

Abstract

A method and apparatus for using MLPE data for characterizing real-world operation a PV module. In one embodiment, the method comprises obtaining a plurality of temperature measurements, wherein each temperature measurement is a measure, by an MLPE proximate to a PV module, of temperature; obtaining a plurality of DC voltage measurements, wherein each DC voltage measurement of the plurality of DC voltage measurements is a measure by the MLPE of a DC voltage of the PV module; obtaining a plurality of DC current measurements, wherein each DC current measurement of the plurality of DC voltage measurements is a measure by the MLPE of a DC current of the PV module; obtaining racking design information with respect to the PV module; and determining a plurality of PV module temperatures for the PV module based on the plurality of temperature measurements and the racking design information.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for determining at least one parameter for use in photovoltaic (PV) module characterization, comprising:
 obtaining a plurality of DC current measurements that are measured by one or more module level power electronic (MLPE) devices coupled to one or more PV modules in a PV array;   computing a plurality of real-world maximum power point (MPP) current values for the one or more PV modules; and   computing, using the plurality of DC current measurements and the plurality of real-world MPP current values, at least one plane of array (POA) irradiance value pertaining to the one or more PV modules.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 computing at least one global horizontal irradiance (GHI) value based on at least one clear sky irradiance (CSI) value and the at least one POA irradiance value.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one GHI value is computed using at least one of a polynomial mathematical function or a trained model. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 computing the at least one CSI value based on PV array position information for the PV array and a plurality of measured temperature values measured by at least one MLPE device of the one or more MLPE devices.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the PV array position information comprises one or more of site elevation, latitude, longitude, reference longitude, tilt, and azimuth. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one CSI value is computed using a clear sky irradiance model. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 computing, based on PV array position information for the PV array and a plurality of measured temperature values measured by at least one MLPE device of the one or more MLPE devices, at least one clear sky POA irradiance value; and   determining a performance ratio based on the at least one clear sky POA irradiance value and the at least one POA irradiance value.   
     
     
         28 . Apparatus for determining at least one parameter for use in photovoltaic (PV) module characterization, comprising:
 a controller, comprising at least one processor, for:
 obtaining a plurality of DC current measurements that are measured by one or more module level power electronic (MLPE) devices coupled to one or more PV modules in a PV array; 
 computing a plurality of real-world maximum power point (MPP) current values for the one or more PV modules; and 
 computing, using the plurality of DC current measurements and the plurality of real-world MPP current values, at least one plane of array (POA) irradiance value pertaining to the one or more PV modules. 
   
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the controller further computes at least one global horizontal irradiance (GHI) value based on at least one clear sky irradiance (CSI) value and the at least one POA irradiance value. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the at least one GHI value is computed using at least one of a polynomial mathematical function or a trained model. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , the controller further computes the at least one CSI value based on PV array position information for the PV array and a plurality of measured temperature values measured by at least one MLPE device of the one or more MLPE devices. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the PV array position information comprises one or more of site elevation, latitude, longitude, reference longitude, tilt, and azimuth. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the at least one CSI value is computed using a clear sky irradiance model. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the controller further computes, based on PV array position information for the PV array and a plurality of measured temperature values measured by at least one MLPE device of the one or more MLPE devices, at least one clear sky POA irradiance value; and determines a performance ratio based on the at least one clear sky POA irradiance value and the at least one plane of array (POA) irradiance value. 
     
     
         35 . A nontransitory computer readable medium comprising a program that, when executed by a processor, performs a method for determining at least one parameter for use in photovoltaic (PV) module characterization, the method comprising:
 obtaining a plurality of DC current measurements that are measured by one or more module level power electronic (MLPE) devices coupled to one or more PV modules in a PV array;   computing a plurality of real-world maximum power point (MPP) current values for the one or more PV modules; and   computing, using the plurality of DC current measurements and the plurality of real-world MPP current values, at least one plane of array (POA) irradiance value pertaining to the one or more PV modules.   
     
     
         36 . The nontransitory computer readable medium of  claim 35 , further comprising computing at least one global horizontal irradiance (GHI) value based on at least one clear sky irradiance (CSI) value and the at least one POA irradiance value. 
     
     
         37 . The nontransitory computer readable medium of  claim 36 , wherein the at least one GHI value is computed using at least one of a polynomial mathematical function or a trained model. 
     
     
         38 . The nontransitory computer readable medium of  claim 36 , further comprising computing the at least one CSI value based on PV array position information for the PV array and a plurality of measured temperature values measured by at least one MLPE device of the one or more MLPE devices. 
     
     
         39 . The nontransitory computer readable medium of  claim 38 , wherein the PV array position information comprises one or more of site elevation, latitude, longitude, reference longitude, tilt, and azimuth. 
     
     
         40 . The nontransitory computer readable medium of  claim 35 , further comprising computing, based on PV array position information for the PV array and a plurality of measured temperature values measured by at least one MLPE device of the one or more MLPE devices, at least one clear sky POA irradiance value; and determining a performance ratio based on the at least one clear sky POA irradiance value and the at least one plane of array (POA) irradiance value.