Journal of Fundamentals of Renewable Energy and Applications
Open Access

Abstract

Experimental Analysis of Effect of Vegetation under PV Solar Panel on Performance of Polycrystalline Solar Panel

Sagar Maruti Kande, Wagh MM, Ghane SG, Shinde NN and Patil PS

The polycrystalline photovoltaic cell has an efficiency around 11-14%. The efficiency is low because of different factor, out of which the temperature is one of affecting factor on efficiency. The solar cell efficiency decreases with increase in temperature. So it is necessary to cool the PV panel to improve its efficiency.

Cooling of PV panel is one of critical issue during the planning of installation of PV plant. In the present work cooling of photovoltaic panel via different vegetation and water tray is carried out. The aim of this project is to optimize the panel efficiency by controlling the panel surface temperature by cultivating different vegetation below the panel. The experiment is done for polycrystalline silicon cell. The plants selected for the experimentation has a good evapotranspiration effect except aloe vera. The numerical value of increase in instantaneous efficiency is 3-4%, 1.8-2.2%, 1.2 -2%, 0.2 -0.5% for water tray, peppermint, tulsi and aloe vera respectively. The economical benefits due to cultivation of peppermint, tulsi aloe vera and water tray and also due to increase in power production from 1MW solar plant per year is forecasted has Rs. /- 455250, 436012, 219150 and 778850 respectively.