The Use of Floating Solar Panels in Hot Regions Such as Iraq to Benefit in Cooling the Panels and Increasing Their Efficiency

Abstract

The operating of photovoltaic panels (PV) comes with a serious contradiction. This system of solar PV panels prefers high radiation to generate electricity, but when rising their operating temperature by negative effects on their efficiency. Thus, one of the major working barriers for PV panels is overheating because of surplus solar irradiation. To get rid of the problem of overheating of the panels, we propose a new design that floats on the surface of the water floating photovoltaic panels (FPV) to take advantage of the nature of water in heat transfer, thus cooling the panels and raising the efficiency of the panels. For the purpose of this study, we proposed one of the regions of central Iraq, namely the Marsh Al-Dalmach, which is located in Wasit province, and it is one of the areas rich in solar radiation (2150 kWh/m2/year) and the length of daylight hours more 4000 operating hours during the year. After conducting a survey around the area and collecting the necessary data for use in programs such as Homer and Matlab, great results were obtained, as this design of the stations contributes to reducing temperatures and raising the efficiency of the panels from 15% to 24%.