ABSTRACT
Photovoltaic (PV) generators are made of a number of PV cells connected in series and in parallel. This chapter devotes to the description of the Photovoltaic (PV) generator operation, in both uniform and mismatched conditions, by means of nonlinear models. It describes the electrical structure of the PV panel that changes the level of granularity at which the PV generator. In order to understand the way in which current and voltages are shared among the PV modules, especially in mismatched conditions, a model of the generator is required. The desired power level of the PV plant is reached by connecting a number of strings, each one composed of the same number of panels, in parallel, thus leading to an increase of the current level of the PV field. Electrical characteristics of PV modules are given by manufacturers in specific operating conditions, which are worldwide defined as standard test conditions (STC).
