Evaluation of the PV energy production determined by measurements, simulation and analytical calculations

The study provides a comparative analysis of the energy production of a 3 kW peak PV array connected in an islanded microgrid, in correlation with solar radiation and ambient temperature measurements. The experimental system is located in Cluj-Napoca Romania and was monitored during the year 2017, based on a graphical user interface. It was also evaluated the capability to predict the PV energy production by using the PV*SOL simulation software and an analytical model, developed at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca. As input data in the analytical model was used the measured solar radiation and ambient temperature while in the simulations was used alternatively measured data and average meteorological data available in the software database. Besides energy production it was compared the solar radiation on the tilted plane of the PV panels, the PV panel's temperature and the system efficiency. For the predictions accuracy evaluation it was used the weighted mean absolute error based on total energy production, which was found to be lower than 1%, in good agreement with the values reported in literature. The outcomes of this study are valuable for expanding the PV installations in this area and for predictive energy management developments.