BS PD IEC/TS 61724-2:2016

BS PD IEC/TS 61724-2:2016 defines a procedure for measuring and analyzing the power productionof a specific photovoltaic system with the goal of evaluating the quality of the PV systemperformance. The test is intended to be applied during a relatively short time period (a fewrelatively sunny days).In this procedure, actual photovoltaic system power produced is measured and compared tothe power expected for the observed weather based on the design parameters of the system.The expected power under reference and measured conditions are typically derived from thedesign parameters that were used to derive the performance target for the plant as agreed toprior to the commencement of the test. For cases when a power model was not developedduring the plant design, a simple model that increases transparency is presented in theannexes as a possible approach.The intent of this document is to specify a framework procedure for comparing the measuredpower produced against the expected power from a PV system on relatively sunny days. Thistest procedure is intended for application to grid-connected photovoltaic systems that includeat least one inverter and the associated hardware.The performance of the system is quantified both during times when the inverters aremaximum-power-point tracking and during times when the system power is limited by theoutput capability of the inverter or interconnection limit, reducing the system output relative towhat it would have been with an inverter with generation freely following irradiance, if thiscondition is relevant.This procedure can be applied to any PV system, including concentrator photovoltaicsystems, using the irradiance (direct or global) that is relevant to the performance of thesystem.This test procedure was designed and drafted with a primary goal of facilitating thedocumentation of a performance target, but it can also be used to verify a model, trackperformance (e.g., degradation) of a system over the course of multiple years, or to documentsystem quality for any other purpose. The terminology has not been generalized to apply to allof these situations, but the intent is to create a methodology that can be used whenever thegoal is to verify system performance at a specific reference condition chosen to be afrequently observed condition. A more complete evaluation of plant performance can beaccomplished by using the complementary Technical Specification IEC TS 61724-3,Photovoltaic system performance - Part 3: Energy evaluation method.Cross References:IEC 61724-12IEC/TS 61836ISO/IEC Guide 98-1IEC 60904-5 IEC/TS 61724-3IEC 61829IEC 61853-2IEC 62446-1ISO 5725ASTM E2848-13