Comparative Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Module Technologies in Diverse Environmental Conditions in Pakistan.

Polycrystalline Silicon (p-Si) based module technologies constitute more than 90% of the market share for solar photovoltaic (PV) applications. However, its performance degrades in regions with higher average temperatures. Therefore thin film module technologies such as Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) technologies may have higher utility in harsh climate regions of Africa and South Asia. The selection of the most suitable technology is contingent on multiple factors, necessitating an evaluation of parameters such as energy output and performance ratio (PR). This study examines the behavior of p-Si and CdTe technologies under diverse environmental conditions, explicitly varying irradiance and temperature, in Pakistan. The investigation assesses electricity production and PR for PV systems, employing p-Si and CdTe module technologies, and subsequently quantifies the benchmark energy production across ten regions of Pakistan.