Patent ID: 7161082

Claim:
A method of controlling a photovoltaic power generation system including a solar cell string comprised of a plurality of connected solar cell modules, a plurality of sensors provided around the solar cell string, and a switch for establishing a short circuit between output terminals of the solar cell string, based on output signals from the plurality of sensors, the method comprising: a first step of measuring the output signals from the plurality of sensors; a second step of normalizing values of the output signals; a third step of comparing the normalized output signal values to a reference value S; a fourth step of calculating a comparison calculated value D, which is defined below, when at least one of a plurality of normalized output signal values Ax is larger than the reference value S, the comparison calculated value D=(a minimum of the plurality of normalized output signal values Ax)/(a maximum of the plurality of normalized output signal values Ax); and a fifth step of establishing the short circuit between the output terminals by the switch when the comparison calculated value D is smaller than a comparison reference value D 0 .