Effect of hot-arid climatic solar energy on monocrystalline photovoltaic performance in Pakistan

Abstract

The domestic dwellings in Pakistan have predominantly implemented low-carbon strategies by harvesting solar energy using photo-voltaic (PV) panels as a long-term vision of low-carbon economy. Most of the urban areas in Pakistan stay hot and humid in an entire year. Consistent solar irradiation at higher temperatures is one of the major factors that affect the power generation performance of monocrystalline PV systems pose challenges to performance and degradation issues. Monocrystalline PV module efficiencies are declining and damaging under the continuous exposure to higher surface day-time temperatures in the different parts of the country. MATLAB simulations were performed based on the validated mathematical approach. This paper investigates the hot arid surface temperature impacts on the performance of PV modules during the summer and winter seasons in Pakistan. The investigations are performed examining the comparative output power generating performance of the PV system. This paper also investigates the influence of installations of PV-system in the North, South, East and West regions of Pakistan. It was examined that the northern areas of Pakistan are more suitable for maintaining the long-term durability of the PV system. Investigations are performed for the peak summer and peak winter days. During summer months, cooling strategies have to be implemented to overcome the heating effects whilst reducing degradation effect on installed PV-system.