Performance ratio: a critical factor for the performance of PV plants
Student name: Mr Ahmad Mohd Khalid
Guide: Mr Sheeraz Kirmani
Year of completion: 2012
Host Organisation: GIZ under SolMap Project at SRRA division, at C-WET Chennai
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Dr Indradip Mitra
Abstract: Performance Ratio (PR) of the PV plant is one of the most important parameters used by
financial institutions and plant operators for the bankability of the Grid connected PV
projects as compared to the efficiency of the PV plant.
The study had tried to research over the methodology adopted by international guidelines
such as IEC 61724, European PV Guidelines and selected scientific papers for calculating the
PR of the plant. Though, most of methodology follows the standard IEC 61724 for
calculating the yields and PR of the PV plant, but there are others who have incorporated
different uncertainties and correction factors for calculating the same. A one on one basis
analysis is done and at the end a comparison is done amongst the various methodologies.
The third chapter deals with the PR analysis of the Delhi and the Chennai plants. Behavior of
PR with time, temperature has been individually analyzed for the Multi-crystalline as well as
the CIGS Plant in case of the Delhi Plant.
Chapter four of the thesis deals with the simulation of a 1KWp system using HOMER
software tool with same assumptions at different locations in India and Bremen in case of
Germany. The purpose was to show the impact on the PR at different locations. The chapter
also illustrated that tilt angle equal to latitude may not always give the highest plant output at
every location.
Fifth chapter shows an energy output prediction model for Delhi plant and illustrates the
application of the model which could be helpful in the performance study as well as the
bankability purposes. The sixth chapter focuses few important issues over the PR definition
and the irradiance measurements.
Thus, PR is an important term that needs discussion in India with a massive solar mission. It is really
important for MNRE to make PR of the plant as a mandatory parameter in performance analysis of
grid connected PV plants in India which definitely has several short term as well as long term benefits.
