Better Clues to Losses and Performance of PV Systems through Comparative Surface Plots over Time Axes

Surface plots of PV-array capture losses over axes of typical day-time and seasonal time bins, introduced for analytical PV System Monitoring, were first described in an earlier publication by the author. They ease the rationale for avoiding losses of useful energy from PV-systems. Graphical association of such plots e.g., with similarly made module-temperature plots can help getting better clues of the reasons for capture losses. The method helps realising quantitatively the improvable influence factors to PV-system performance relevant for today's market. The present paper elaborates more on the methodology of this graghical/analytical technique and gives examples of how practical technical conclusions can be drawn for PV system design and performance-management. The method is applicable to a wide range of PV-system sizes and types. an example from an interesting solar roof-tile project funded within the E.C. 5th Framework programme illustrates the performance analysis possibilities in detail.JRC.H.8-Renewable energie