HOMER Grid 1.9

The photovoltaic (PV) nominal operating cell temperature is the surface temperature that the PV array reaches if it is exposed to 0.8 kW/m2 of solar radiation, an ambient temperature of 20°C, and a wind speed of 1 m/s. Sometimes called the "normal operating cell temperature" and frequently abbreviated NOCT, the nominal operating cell temperature provides a measure of how the PV cell temperature (the surface temperature of the PV array) varies with the ambient temperature and solar radiation. HOMER uses the NOCT to calculate the PV cell temperature.

PV manufacturers typically report the nominal operating cell temperature as part of their product data. In our non-exhaustive survey of commercially-available PV modules in November 2007, about 60% of the product data sheets specified the NOCT, with the values varying over a narrow range from 45°C to 48°C.

See also:

How HOMER Calculates the PV Cell Temperature

Photovoltaic Panels (PV)