Increase of photovoltaic panels lifespan by monitoring and control

Humanity is in continuous demand of energy. Since the dawn of time, the tribes have initiated wars to possess energy (fire). They improved their weapons by heating iron and progressed in development. Today the form of energy changed to oil, gas, and electricity. Thus, earth is in constValues of the eant threat of pollution mainly originated from energy production. Humanity has organized many events to fight against climate change, we enumerate: The Kyoto Protocol (1997), The Copenhagen Summit (2009), COP 21 (Conference Of the Parties) (2015). Other action plans have been initiated to encourage and force the penetration of renewable energy sources, we enumerate: the Russian Renewable Energy Program (2000), the 25x’25: US resolution for a new national renewable energy goal (2004), the 20- 20-20 European Union climate and energy package (2008), and the Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan (2010).

Leaders have three main challenges to accomplish: Energy Security, Social Equity, and Environmental Impact Mitigation. PV (Photovoltaic) panels present a serious solution to these challenges. We can list here a number of advantages of using the PV technology:

• Solar energy is the most abundant and equitable source on earth.
• PV panels constitute a green energy source that does not pollute or contribute to climate change.
• PV panels can support electricity to rural places.
• We must note that the third of earth’s population does not have access to the electric grid.
• Electricity is the most convertible form of power.
• PV panels are safe and reliable.
• PV panels can be produced from scrap materials of electric industry.
• With automated and intelligent systems, no operators are needed.
• Once installed, no operating cost is required.
• No parts move during PV panel operation.
• PV panels can be integrated in any new or existing building .

Despite these advantages, we must note some disadvantages that limit the development of the PV market:

• The output of PV panels is directly linked to the meteorological conditions of the area.
• The installation cost is high relatively to traditional power generation.
• PV panel’s lifetime is small relatively to traditional power generation sources.
• The BOS (Balance Of System) (storage, inverter, DC (Direct Current) to AC (Alternating Current) converter) decreases the reliability and the efficiency of the system.
• PV panel’s production is complex and expensive. A PV panel needs at least two years of operation to generate the power used during its fabrication.

The most flagrant disadvantage of PV panels is their initial high cost that leads to a high energy production cost, that is a high kWh cost. The NAE (National Academy of Engineering) defined 14 grand challenges for engineering, for the 21st century. One of these challenges is to “Make Solar Energy Economical” [10]. Besides, the 20-20 20 European Union climate and energy package suggests to increase the lifespan of the photovoltaic panels up to 40 years [11]. Our PhD research aligns with the above two recommendations. Our objective is to increase the lifespan of PV panels by monitoring and control.

One of the main objectives of the SASV (Systèmes Automatisés à Structure Variable) project team of the LSIS (Laboratoire des Science de l’Information et des Systèmes) laboratory is the exploitation of ICT (Information and Communications Technology) for control, prediction, maintenance, diagnosis, and management of RES (Renewable Energy Sources). SASV became interested in control applied to RES, systems of energy production, mixed RES, and the coupling of several HyRES (Hybrid Renewable Energy Sources). The SASV project team has many collaboration in this area through its involvement in the RMEI (Réseau Méditerranéen des Ecoles d’Ingénieurs).

The thesis was held in co-direction between the l’Ecole Polytechnique of the Aix-Marseille Université (AMU) and the Faculty of Engineering of the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK). The thesis supervisor at Polytech Marseille is Professor Nacer K. M’SIRDI, head of SASV project at LSIS UMR CNRS 7296 (Unité Mixte de Recherche) (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique). The thesis director at the Faculty of Engineering (USEK) is Dr. Eng. Tilda Karkour Akiki, head of the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department. This thesis is included in the HyRES Lab. The HyRES lab is an International Associated Laboratory for Mediterranean collaborations on Renewable Energies and sustainable building. This research carried many benefits on the research and development relations between the two institutions. Indeed, this partnership initiated research in the axis of renewable energy within USEK. The field of photovoltaic panels is expected to have an important impact in improving the conditions of energy production for Lebanon, since Lebanon enjoys 300 days of sunshine per year. In reality, power generation deficit overwhelms Lebanon in blackouts, which turns into a vital and economic problem.

This thesis was also conducted in parallel to other thesis at the SASV project team. We enumerate the thesis of Miss Mouna Abarkan on the modeling and analysis of behavior of a building equipped with HyRES in a cooperation with l’Université Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellahde in Fès (USMBA) [12] [13]. The thesis of Mr. Motaz Amer on power consumption optimization based on controlled demand for smart home in cooperation with the Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport (AAST) [14]. The thesis of Mrs. Rana Ahmed on energy management and control for renewable energy sources in rural area with the AAST [15, 16].

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Table des matières

General Introduction
Context
Arguments defending our work
Objectives and Organization
List of Publications
1 General information on Photovoltaic Panels
1.1 Introduction
1.2 History
1.3 Principle of operation
1.3.1 Semiconductors
1.3.1.1 Direct and indirect band gap semiconductor
1.3.1.2 Fermi energy
1.3.1.3 Doping
1.3.1.4 Photovoltaic Effect
1.3.1.5 The recombination
1.3.2 The PN junction
1.4 The Solar Cell
1.4.1 Electron-hole pair generation
1.4.2 Equivalent circuit of a PV cell
1.4.3 The I-V characteristic
1.4.4 Efficiency limits
1.5 Installation and Sizing
1.6 Types of PV panels
1.6.1 Silicon based PV Panels
1.6.1.1 Silicon crystals
1.6.1.2 Wafer silicon cells
1.6.1.3 Thin film Si cells
1.6.1.4 Amorphous silicon cells
1.6.2 Multi-junction GaInP/GaAs/Ge cells
1.6.3 Cu(InGa)Se2 cells
1.6.4 CdTe cells
1.6.5 Dye-sensitized cells
1.6.6 Organic cells
1.7 Maximum Power Point Tracking
1.7.1 Problem statement
1.7.1.1 DC/DC converter
1.7.2 MPPT algorithms
1.7.2.1 Open-loop algorithms
1.7.2.2 Closed-loop algorithms
1.7.3 Comparison of MPPT algorithms
1.7.3.1 Qualitative comparison
1.7.3.2 Quantitative comparison
1.7.3.3 Comparison summary
1.8 Conclusion
2 Degradation and faults in PV panels
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Degradation Modes of PV panels
2.2.1 Potential Induced Degradation
2.2.1.1 PID causes
2.2.2 Light Induced Degradation
2.2.2.1 LID in c-Si cells
2.2.2.2 LID in a-Si:H cells
2.2.3 Ultraviolet light Degradation
2.2.3.1 UV Degradation mechanism
2.2.4 Moisture Induced Degradation
2.2.5 Cell Cracks
2.2.6 Salt mist and ammonia degradation
2.3 Faults of PV panels
2.3.1 Interconnect failure and connection faults
2.3.2 Bridge fault, earth fault
2.3.3 Development of a shunt path
2.4 Conclusion
General Conclusion