Integrated Rice Husk Thermal Dampening Layer for Temperature Suppression and Efficiency Enhancement in Photovoltaic Modules

This study investigates the use of a rice husk-resin composite as a passive thermal dampening layer to reduce temperature rise in photovoltaic (PV) modules. High operating temperature remains a major performance barrier for PV systems, particularly in tropical regions where solar radiation is consistently high, leading to reduced voltage, efficiency, and long-term material degradation. To address this issue, a bio-insulating composite made from waste rice husk is proposed as a low-cost, environmentally friendly thermal suppressor. The composite layer was attached directly to the rear surface of the PV module and tested against a baseline module under natural outdoor conditions. Temperature, electrical parameters, and irradiance were recorded using thermocouples, a data logger, and standard PV instrumentation. The results show that the composite effectively reduces module temperature by approximately 2-3°C, increases open-circuit voltage, improves fill factor, and enhances overall electrical performance. The maximum power point (MPP) increased by up to 20.7% compared with the module without the thermal dampening layer. These findings demonstrate that rice husk-resin composite provides a practical passive cooling solution and offers a promising pathway for boosting PV performance in hot climates.