In this paper the effect of the actual cell temperature on the performance of a photovoltaic (PV) generator feeding two types of DC motors (series and separately excited) is investigated. Each of the two motors was driving a centrifugal pump. The performance of the system, with the actual cell temperature taken into consideration, was compared with that in which the temperature of the cells of the photovoltaic generator was assumed to be that corresponding to the standard lest conditions (STC). The investigation shows that the performance characteristics of the system when the actual cell temperature is taken into account are appreciably different from that obtained when it is assumed that the photovoltaic generator is operating at a cell temperature corresponding to that of the STC.