Annual Yield Simulation of Solar Parks With SubMPPT

Abstract

Solar power generation plays a crucial role in the energy transition, especially in countries like Germany where the area for photovoltaic power plants is limited. This study uses simulations to show how Substring Maximum Power Point Tracking technology improves the space utilization rate of photovoltaic power plants compared to conventional String Maximum Power Point Tracking and bypass diodes. The simulation uses the Python library Pvlib and a single-diode model to calculate the current-voltage characteristics of each substring within the solar modules. When the spacing between module rows decreases, the number of modules per area increases, but so does partial shading. In conventional systems, this shading leads to higher energy losses. Substring Maximum Power Point Tracking actively reduces these losses by regulating each substring individually. Substring Maximum Power Point Tracking reduces these losses, resulting in a  +10.03 % increase in space utilization rate and a  +22.22 % increase in annual energy yield compared to String Maximum Power Point Tracking when the row spacing is minimized. With larger row spacing and less shading, the advantage of Substring Maximum Power Point Tracking is lower, even leading to a  −2.76 % decrease in space utilization rate. The simulations confirm that selecting the optimal row spacing is essential for maximizing economic efficiency. Future research will include an economic assessment of different solar park designs using Substring Maximum Power Point Tracking.