Increasing Photovoltaic Systems Efficiency Through the Implementation of Statistical Methods
The article emphasises both the advantages and disadvantages of photovoltaic power plant deployment, assessing the current stage of development as well as the deficient characteristic criteria, such as the occupied specific surface area or the associated unpredictability. The authors consider that c...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | Applied Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/10/5300 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849327425434943488 |
|---|---|
| author | Daniela-Adriana Sima Emil Tudor Lucia-Andreea El-Leathey Gabriela Cîrciumaru Mihai-Gabriel Matache |
| author_facet | Daniela-Adriana Sima Emil Tudor Lucia-Andreea El-Leathey Gabriela Cîrciumaru Mihai-Gabriel Matache |
| author_sort | Daniela-Adriana Sima |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The article emphasises both the advantages and disadvantages of photovoltaic power plant deployment, assessing the current stage of development as well as the deficient characteristic criteria, such as the occupied specific surface area or the associated unpredictability. The authors consider that current technologies related to photovoltaic plants provide a maximum efficiency of approximately 28%. Consequently, management methods must be applied in order to improve efficiency and eliminate the reported deficiencies. When assessing a medium- to high-power PV plant, the initial investment, projected efficiency, and parameters of the desired plant are correlated, and sometimes, a cheaper and less efficient power plant can be recommended. Although solar trackers may represent a viable solution in certain scenarios, their effectiveness is strongly influenced by various factors, including panel orientation, climatic conditions, installed capacity, and the specific technologies. These variables can significantly affect such systems’ overall efficiency and suitability. The present study proposes a statistical approach to assessing the economic efficiency of photovoltaic systems equipped with solar trackers, aiming to enhance energy production performance. The results are correlated and validated using field data obtained from existing literature studies to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the analysis. For a better analysis, the paper presents two methods, ANOVA and STEM, which are derived from quality control. The novelty aspect of this proposal consists of the combination of specific data obtained from the PVGIS platform with a new approach for optimisation of energy production in photovoltaic systems based on geographical coordinates. The STEM statistical method provides a high degree of novelty because, although it is a well-known method, it has not yet been applied to analyse the technical and economic efficiency of photovoltaic systems. One of the main advantages of this method is its ability to incorporate a wide range of technical and economic performance parameters. A case study is provided to evaluate the benefits of implementing the STEM method. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c98414c8d26f420b82ddadabe53cdf36 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-c98414c8d26f420b82ddadabe53cdf362025-08-20T03:47:53ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-05-011510530010.3390/app15105300Increasing Photovoltaic Systems Efficiency Through the Implementation of Statistical MethodsDaniela-Adriana Sima0Emil Tudor1Lucia-Andreea El-Leathey2Gabriela Cîrciumaru3Mihai-Gabriel Matache4Doctoral School of Faculty of Entrepreneurship Business Engineering and Management, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, RomaniaElectromechanical and Electromagnetic Systems & Technologies Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Electrical Engineering ICPE-CA, 030138 Bucharest, RomaniaRenewable Energy Sources Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Electrical Engineering ICPE-CA, 030138 Bucharest, RomaniaRenewable Energy Sources Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Electrical Engineering ICPE-CA, 030138 Bucharest, RomaniaNational Institute for Research and Development in Machines and Installations Designed for Agriculture and Food Industry, 013811 Bucharest, RomaniaThe article emphasises both the advantages and disadvantages of photovoltaic power plant deployment, assessing the current stage of development as well as the deficient characteristic criteria, such as the occupied specific surface area or the associated unpredictability. The authors consider that current technologies related to photovoltaic plants provide a maximum efficiency of approximately 28%. Consequently, management methods must be applied in order to improve efficiency and eliminate the reported deficiencies. When assessing a medium- to high-power PV plant, the initial investment, projected efficiency, and parameters of the desired plant are correlated, and sometimes, a cheaper and less efficient power plant can be recommended. Although solar trackers may represent a viable solution in certain scenarios, their effectiveness is strongly influenced by various factors, including panel orientation, climatic conditions, installed capacity, and the specific technologies. These variables can significantly affect such systems’ overall efficiency and suitability. The present study proposes a statistical approach to assessing the economic efficiency of photovoltaic systems equipped with solar trackers, aiming to enhance energy production performance. The results are correlated and validated using field data obtained from existing literature studies to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the analysis. For a better analysis, the paper presents two methods, ANOVA and STEM, which are derived from quality control. The novelty aspect of this proposal consists of the combination of specific data obtained from the PVGIS platform with a new approach for optimisation of energy production in photovoltaic systems based on geographical coordinates. The STEM statistical method provides a high degree of novelty because, although it is a well-known method, it has not yet been applied to analyse the technical and economic efficiency of photovoltaic systems. One of the main advantages of this method is its ability to incorporate a wide range of technical and economic performance parameters. A case study is provided to evaluate the benefits of implementing the STEM method.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/10/5300photovoltaic power plantefficiencyANOVASTEMKruskal–Wallis test |
| spellingShingle | Daniela-Adriana Sima Emil Tudor Lucia-Andreea El-Leathey Gabriela Cîrciumaru Mihai-Gabriel Matache Increasing Photovoltaic Systems Efficiency Through the Implementation of Statistical Methods Applied Sciences photovoltaic power plant efficiency ANOVA STEM Kruskal–Wallis test |
| title | Increasing Photovoltaic Systems Efficiency Through the Implementation of Statistical Methods |
| title_full | Increasing Photovoltaic Systems Efficiency Through the Implementation of Statistical Methods |
| title_fullStr | Increasing Photovoltaic Systems Efficiency Through the Implementation of Statistical Methods |
| title_full_unstemmed | Increasing Photovoltaic Systems Efficiency Through the Implementation of Statistical Methods |
| title_short | Increasing Photovoltaic Systems Efficiency Through the Implementation of Statistical Methods |
| title_sort | increasing photovoltaic systems efficiency through the implementation of statistical methods |
| topic | photovoltaic power plant efficiency ANOVA STEM Kruskal–Wallis test |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/10/5300 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT danielaadrianasima increasingphotovoltaicsystemsefficiencythroughtheimplementationofstatisticalmethods AT emiltudor increasingphotovoltaicsystemsefficiencythroughtheimplementationofstatisticalmethods AT luciaandreeaelleathey increasingphotovoltaicsystemsefficiencythroughtheimplementationofstatisticalmethods AT gabrielacirciumaru increasingphotovoltaicsystemsefficiencythroughtheimplementationofstatisticalmethods AT mihaigabrielmatache increasingphotovoltaicsystemsefficiencythroughtheimplementationofstatisticalmethods |