A REMOTE HANDS-ON EXPERIMENT FOR TEACHING PHOTOVOLTAICS

Experiment studies are very helpful in teaching, providing experience and making the subject that is being taught more tangible to the student and hence easier to grasp. However, many educational institutions do not have the funding that the establishment and maintenance of a modern experiment require. The solution to this issue is a remote lab, which would allow anyone to do experiments through the internet, thus giving all students the possibility to study experimental physics using high-level equipment any time and everywhere via the internet. Photovoltaic (PV) devices convert light energy to electrical energy for use in various applications. As PV systems are becoming more and more common, large numbers of skilled engineers with a greater understanding of all aspects of PV technology, both theoretical and practical, are needed. An online lab allows students to control real equipment through a visual interface and to learn in a user-friendly environment. Remote lab improve the practical knowledge of students as well as allowing them to repeat the experiment at a time suitable for their needs. Therefore, a remote experiment has been developed to allow distance learning students to investigate the energy conversion properties of photovoltaic panels. The purpose of the experiment is to study the effects of temperature and irradiance on PV panels using the characteristic measurement called the IV curve. A group of students from high school were involved in this study. Student's perception of the experience was obtained by means of personal interviews. In conclusion, the remote lab is useful as it enables students from all over the world to investigate the different properties and characteristics of photovoltaic panels.