Modelling Study of Magnetic Field Effect on the Performance of a Silicon Photovoltaic Module

Solar Photovoltaic is a very promising solution that can greatly contribute in solving the increasing global energy demand. In both rural and urban areas, photovoltaic modules are in some instances installed close to telecommunication antennas or voltage transformers which generate important magnetic fields in their vicinity. The question is whether or not these magnetic fields affect the performances of the photovoltaic installations. This article presents a modelling study of external magnetic field effect on the electrical parameters of a photovoltaic module. The photocurrent, the photovoltage, the electric power, the series and the shunt resistances of the photovoltaic module, made up of ideal cells, are deduced from those of a silicon solar cell. Then, the I-V and P-V curves are plotted and the theoretical values of the electrical parameters of the photovoltaic module are deduced. The series and shunt resistances of the photovoltaic module are calculated using well known equations and the previous electrical parameters. The results show the negative effect of magnetic field on the performance of a solar photovoltaic module.