A comparison between the experimental current-voltage (I-V) and power-voltage (P-V) characteristics of
PhotoVoltaic (PV) modules, and the prediction of an explicit empirical model has been carried out. The
model consists of an explicit expression for the current as a function of the voltage; the only inputs
are the parameters that are always directly available in the manufacturer’s datasheet. The comparison
was carried out on four representative PV technologies, based on polycrystalline Si, Heterojunction with
Intrinsic Thin layer (HIT), Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS), and Cadmium Telluride (CdTe). The
comparison reveals that the model replicates the experimental I-V and P-V curves to a very good degree
of accuracy for the considered operating conditions and PV technologies. This validation sets a turning
point in PV modelling, as it enables a reliable use of this accessible model.
