Photovoltaic solar cell array used for supplemental power generation

A study of the performance of a silicon cell non-tracking photovoltaic array has been made over a three year period. The array provided power in parallel with commercial utility power in a shared mode which makes use of all the solar energy generated. Tests of degradation, dirt accumulation, compatability with telephone plant, and day by day performance were performed. A method is developed for predicting the energy output of a non-tracking array based on standard global insolation measurements.