Evaluation of Hot Spot Effects in Monocrystalline and Polycrystalline Photovoltaic Panels under the Climatic Conditions of Ilam

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article- En

Authors

F. Darvishi ¹

A. N. Lorestani ¹

R. Yeganeh ²

M. Valizadeh ³

¹ Department of Mechanical Engineering of Biosystems, Agriculture Faculty, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

² Department of Mechanical Engineering of Biosystems, Agriculture Faculty, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran

³ Department of Electrical Engineering, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran

10.22067/jam.2026.99648.1501

Abstract

Photovoltaic systems typically have a long service life because they contain no moving parts, making them an attractive option for both residential and industrial applications. However, several factors may reduce the service life of photovoltaic panels. This study investigates how rising temperatures from solar radiation affect different types of solar panels. One such factor is the hot spot phenomenon, in which localised regions of a photovoltaic panel experience excessive heating, potentially resulting in an irreversible reduction in power output. To assess the influence of climatic conditions on hot spot formation, a 17-week field study was conducted using monocrystalline and polycrystalline photovoltaic panels during the warm season in Ilam, Iran. The performance of the panels was also simulated in MATLAB/Simulink to obtain a more accurate analysis of the results. Additionally, infrared thermography (thermal camera) was used to evaluate the thermal characteristics of the panels during hot spot formation. The findings revealed that the power output of the damaged polycrystalline panels P1 and P2 and the damaged monocrystalline panels M3 and M4 decreased by 0.105, 0.104, 0.211, and 0.193 W, respectively, over the 17-week period. Conversely, the power output of the intact polycrystalline panels P5 and P6 and the intact monocrystalline panels M7 and M8 increased by 0.474, 0.518, 0.66, and 0.66 W, respectively. Overall, the degradation rate of the monocrystalline panels was found to be higher than that of the polycrystalline panels.

Keywords

Crystalline silicon solar panels

Hot spot

MATLAB simulation

Partial shading

Photovoltaic modules

Subjects

• Sustainability and Circular Bioeconomy, and Environmental Resilience

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Authors retain the copyright. This is an open access article distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0)

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