Experimental multi-level calibration of a silicon mini solar cell for low-cost solar irradiance measurement
Abstract
Accurate assessment of photovoltaic potential is essential for optimizing system integration at specific sites, requiring precise measurement of ground-level solar irradiance. However, commercially available irradiance sensors are often costly, limited in configurability for research, and require specialized calibration tools. To address these challenges, this study presents the design and development of a portable, energy-efficient, cost-effective irradiance measurement system. The device employs a small polycrystalline solar cell as the sensing element and a 10-bit microcontroller for data acquisition. Irradiance values are calculated using an established algebraic relationship between the solar cell’s short-circuit current and incident solar radiation. The sensor was then evaluated outdoors under clear-sky and partly cloudy conditions using a commercial handheld irradiance meter for comparison. Within the investigated dataset, the developed sensor showed a linear response across the tested irradiance range. The mean percentage deviation was 0.84% under clear-sky conditions and 3.11% under partly cloudy conditions, with maximum deviations of 15.5 W/m² at 491 W/m² and 12.5 W/m² at 130 W/m², respectively. These results indicate that, within the tested irradiance range and experimental conditions, the proposed low-cost system can provide consistent irradiance measurements suitable for experimental monitoring and preliminary PV site assessment.
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BibTeX
@article{ali2026experimental,
title = {{Experimental multi-level calibration of a silicon mini solar cell for low-cost solar irradiance measurement}},
author = {Kameran Raoof Ali and Muhammad Hafeez Mohamed Hariri and Raman Adil Abdalla and Mohamad Nazir Abdullah and Suhaila Sepeai and Mohd Khairunaz Mat Desa and Mohamad Khairi Ishak},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-56126-z},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-56126-z},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Experimental multi-level calibration of a silicon mini solar cell for low-cost solar irradiance measurement
AU - Kameran Raoof Ali
AU - Muhammad Hafeez Mohamed Hariri
AU - Raman Adil Abdalla
AU - Mohamad Nazir Abdullah
AU - Suhaila Sepeai
AU - Mohd Khairunaz Mat Desa
AU - Mohamad Khairi Ishak
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/07
JO - Scientific Reports
DO - 10.1038/s41598-026-56126-z
UR - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-56126-z
AB - Accurate assessment of photovoltaic potential is essential for optimizing system integration at specific sites, requiring precise measurement of ground-level solar irradiance. However, commercially available irradiance sensors are often costly, limited in configurability for research, and require specialized calibration tools. To address these challenges, this study presents the design and development of a portable, energy-efficient, cost-effective irradiance measurement system. The device employs a small polycrystalline solar cell as the sensing element and a 10-bit microcontroller for data acquisition. Irradiance values are calculated using an established algebraic relationship between the solar cell’s short-circuit current and incident solar radiation. The sensor was then evaluated outdoors under clear-sky and partly cloudy conditions using a commercial handheld irradiance meter for comparison. Within the investigated dataset, the developed sensor showed a linear response across the tested irradiance range. The mean percentage deviation was 0.84% under clear-sky conditions and 3.11% under partly cloudy conditions, with maximum deviations of 15.5 W/m² at 491 W/m² and 12.5 W/m² at 130 W/m², respectively. These results indicate that, within the tested irradiance range and experimental conditions, the proposed low-cost system can provide consistent irradiance measurements suitable for experimental monitoring and preliminary PV site assessment.
SN - 2045-2322
ER -