Solar Energy Laboratory: Summary of Ten Years Continuous Experiences

Abstract

As a result of nearly 30 years of research activities in the field, and a need for experimental work, in 2002 at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and IT at “Sts Cyril and Methodius” University in Skopje, a Solar Energy Laboratory had been established. It mainly deals with stand-alone (incl. hybrid) photovoltaic systems, but the results of many experiments can be found useful in grid-connected system applications. In the paper several research and educational possibilities of the installed equipment are presented. For that purpose, the results of some experiments and equipment testing have been shown. Ideas for further improvements are also presented. There are elaborated continuous (since 2002) onsite measurement values of the solar radiation and the ambient temperature. There is also presented a method for measuring the I-V characteristic of a photovoltaic generator, together with the approach for obtaining the values of its working parameters.