Comparative Study on the Performance of Monocrystalline and Polycrystalline Photovoltaic Cell Configurations Under Philippine Weather Conditions

• Main Authors: Tan, Patricia Angelica P., Nicdao, Francis Paul J., Abiera, Cyrus Kael S., Martin, Niña Marie D., Ibarra, Aronne Robie M.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2022
• Subjects: photovoltaic cells; monocrystalline; polycrystalline; Philippine weather; renewable energy
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/conf_shsrescon/2022/paper_see/3; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1077&context=conf_shsrescon
• Institution: De La Salle University

The utilization of solar energy is an approach that may address the lack of access to electricity and reduce the per capita greenhouse gas emissions of the Philippines. Although there have been studies performed concerning solar energy in the Philippine context, there is a research gap regarding which type of photovoltaic crystalline structure may be ideal in terms of efficiency and cost-effectiveness in Philippine weather conditions. An experiment was conducted to compare the performance of 100W monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels installed on a rooftop in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. The two Glomax panels were each connected to a set of current and voltage sensors, while a Misolie WS-WH24C-1 Weather Station was used to collect weather data. Data from the experimental setup were recorded by a Seeeduino Cortex M0+ from November 7 to December 4, 2021 from 5:00 to 18:00 at 20-minute intervals. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, graphs, a solar profile, and linear regression analysis using Microsoft Excel. Results showed that the monocrystalline panel produced a mean power output of 10.70 W and a mean efficiency of 4.62%, while the polycrystalline panel had an 8.77 W mean power output and 3.68% mean efficiency. Furthermore, the monocrystalline panel was calculated to cost ₱606.52 per percentage of efficiency, while the polycrystalline panel required ₱679.95. Overall, the study demonstrated that the monocrystalline solar panel provided better performance in terms of power output and efficiency, and better cost-effectiveness compared to the polycrystalline panel.