Enhancing the performance of photovoltaic panels by controlling external climatic parameters: An experimental study

The global energy crisis presents itself as an ongoing problem which photovoltaic (PV) panels address effectively by converting renewable solar power into electricity. The performance of PV panels suffers from operating temperature increases causing important decreases in electrical efficiency. A reliable cooling system needs implementation to preserve thermal stability along with maximizing energy conversion performance. A laboratory investigation evaluates the implementation of distilled thermoelectric heat sinks aimed at reducing PV panel surface temperatures for better overall performance enhancement. The laboratory experiment used closed-loop cooling with parallel-installed thermoelectric modules below and above PV panels to measure various configuration performances under controlled indoor testing. Tests took place at the college of technical engineering at University of Thi-Qar to identify the best thermal energy (TE) module layout which produced the minimum achievable base temperature of the PV panel. The study conducted a systematic analysis of different cooling setup configurations which helped identify the top performing design that simultaneously reduced energy losses and achieved maximum power output. The study’s findings show that proper positioning of TE modules creates substantial improvements for PV system thermal regulation. The best arrangement yielded substantial temperature reduction alongside enhanced energy efficiency which demonstrated TE-assisted cooling can be an effective solution for future solar power systems.