Performance analysis of different photovoltaic panels and batteries in off-grid systems

Today, there is an increasing interest in systems based on renewable energy sources due to rising energy costs and environmental concerns. The potential for use in different fields in the developing industry makes solar energy a very advantageous resource. The technology and applications related to photovoltaic systems, which are the most common use of solar energy, are increasing day by day. Within the scope of this thesis, the performances of monocrystalline, polycrystalline and thin film photovoltaic panels and AGM and gel batteries were experimentally investigated. The experimental set is an off-grid system; current, voltage, temperature, generated power and incoming solar radiation values are measured and the performances of PV panels are compared with each other. In addition, a different experimental setup was established to examine the charging and discharging performance of the batteries. The experimental setup was installed on the terrace floor (Latitude: 37o 10.088', Longitude: 38o 59.749', Altitude: 511) of the Mechanical Engineering Department of Harran University Osmanbey Campus in Şanlıurfa. In the 12-month experimental study, the panel surfaces were cleaned regularly to obtain the highest power output from the panels, and the panels were positioned in a shadow-free manner and at the most suitable monthly inclination angles for Şanlıurfa province. As a result of the study, it was determined that temperature affects PV panel performance and polycrystalline panel type is the most affected by outdoor temperature and has the highest performance. It was determined that thin film and monocrystalline photovoltaic panels were least affected by the outdoor temperature and the panel surface temperatures did not increase much. According to the measurement results, the average annual panel efficiency was calculated as 6.36% for thin film panel, 10.57% for polycrystalline panel and 9.51% for monocrystalline panel. As a result of the experimental study for batteries, it was found that AGM batteries have a shorter charging time and gel batteries have a longer discharge time. In addition, it was determined that the gel battery was the most affected by the ambient temperature during charging and discharging.