| Work Detail |
New research from India shows how bifacial solar modules should be deployed to achieve good performance in floating PV projects planned in tropical freshwaters. Their experimental setup showed that higher efficiency can be achieved by measuring panel height, water depth and tilt angle.
An international research team has created an experimental setup and model to optimize floating bifacial solar panels intended to be deployed in tropical freshwaters.
The research group employed a response surface methodology (RSM) based on a central composite design (CCD). CCD is a specific methodology for experimental design that is fitted to RSM models capable of presenting the relationship between input and output factors. In addition, the team investigated the economic viability of floating bifacial PV projects.
“Our research integrates a global perspective of solar technology, emphasizing sensitivity analysis of design parameters and power gain correlations through RSM,” the academics said. “We aim to optimize bifacial solar panel height, azimuth angle, and water depth, advancing sustainable energy solutions in bifacial solar systems.”
As part of the CCD design, the researchers built two rooftop PV systems in Virudhunagar, southern India. Each used 395 W bifacial PV modules mounted either on a conventional white-painted surface or on a freshwater tank with white paint on the bottom.
Both systems were tested with panel heights of 25 cm, 87.5 cm or 150 cm and tilt angles of 45 degrees, 90 degrees and 135 degrees. The water-mounted PV system was also tested with different depths of 2 cm, 6 cm and 10 cm. Panel temperature, voltage and current were tested with different irradiance levels and wind speeds.
“The data collected during these tests was analysed using RSM to understand the influence of multiple variables,” the scientists explain. “This extensive data collection involved monitoring key performance indicators such as power output and bifacial gain. The aim was to discern the impact of different cooling methods on the efficiency of BFS panels, with a particular focus on real-world scenarios.”
According to the results of the quadratic model, an optimization model for RSM, the optimal results were obtained with a panel height of 100 cm, a water depth of 6 cm, and a tilt angle of 90 degrees. In this case, the predicted output power was 397.68 W, and a high-precision bifacial gain of 10.39 was recorded.
Furthermore, the proposed freshwater surface (PFS) achieved a gain of between 4.34% and 4.86% in bifacial efficiency across various irradiation levels compared to the conventional white surface (CWS). “Under 950 W/m2 irradiation, freshwater cooling achieves a 3.19% higher bifacial gain than CWS cooling,” the group adds.
“Panel temperature analysis shows reductions consistent with freshwater cooling, ranging from 1.43°C to 2.72°C, improving overall efficiency and longevity,” they concluded. “With slightly higher daily energy costs of Rs 10,979 ($0.13) versus Rs 10.75 for CWP, PFW offers a faster payback period of 4.52 years versus 4.62 years for CWP, highlighting its economic viability and efficiency.”
Their findings were presented in “ Performance analysis of floating bifacial stand-alone photovoltaic module in tropical freshwater systems of Southern Asia: an experimental study,” published in Scientific Reports . The team consisted of scientists from Kamaraj College of Engineering and Technology in India and Kebri Dehar University in Ethiopia. |
