Integrated thermal–electrical modeling and experimental validation of a P-SI photovoltaic module

This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of the thermal and electrical performance of a polycrystalline silicon (p-Si) photovoltaic (PV) module under real outdoor conditions. The experimental investigation was conducted during a June 2025 monitoring campaign in Mersin, Türkiye, and model validation was performed using 73 valid daytime records from one representative clear-sky operating day. Solar irradiance, ambient temperature, rear-surface module temperature, wind speed, voltage, and current were recorded at 10-minute intervals. The collected data were analyzed using three performance models: the Simple Model, the Equivalent One-Diode Model, and the Sandia Performance Model. The Sandia Performance Model provided the closest agreement for electrical power prediction, while the temperature comparison revealed a systematic deviation associated with the difference between measured rear-surface module temperature and model-estimated cell temperature. The coefficient of determination reached 96.99% for electrical power prediction using the Sandia model and 96.53% for rear-surface temperature prediction using the thermal formulation coupled with the Equivalent One-Diode Model. The average performance ratio (PR) was 0.83. The reported validation results represent clear-sky Mediterranean summer operating conditions and should not be interpreted as a seasonal or annual performance assessment.