State Space Transient Model for Photovoltaic Module Temperature Estimation

A state space transient model (SSTM) was developed, which requires low computational resources for energy balance modelling to estimate PV module temperatures. The model accounts for heat capacities, the conduction process, and the outdoor environment. The model was subsequently validated with measurement data and exhibited a deviation of 7.8% and 7.2% for the front and back surfaces respectively. When applied to a tropical context such as Singapore, a maximum daily diurnal temperature difference of 3.2 degrees C was observed between front and back surfaces. The RMSE of the proposed model is comparable with other established methods of PV back surface temperature estimation.