Development of Floating PV Test Bench and its Comparison with On Ground PV System /

Abstract

Solar energy is a promising technology for producing cost-effective, long-term green energy. Floating Photo Voltaic (FPV) technology is a relatively new concept for producing clean green energy. FPV combines a floating structure with an existing PV system, allowing for increased PV module efficiency. FPV offers an alternative to the high cost of land for On-Ground PV (OPV) systems while mitigating the environmental effects caused by OPV systems. Local environmental factors such as air temperature, wind speed, humidity, and solar flux have a significant impact on PV systems. Furthermore, FPV systems aid in the reduction of water evaporation, resulting in water savings. The experimental investigation of a small-scale FPVS is presented in this study. It is intended for research and demonstration purposes only, as a first attempt to analyze this concept under Pakistani operating conditions. The goal is to analyze and compare the thermal and electrical performances of mono and polycrystalline PV modules used in FPV with those of an OPV system with a similar nominal capacity, as well as to investigate the effect of FPV on water evaporation. To accomplish this, a test bench comprised of an FPV and an OPV system, as well as a measurement station, has been proposed and developed. This paper elaborates on the experimental setup of the complete test bench. The results show that when the water body is partially covered with an FPV system, water evaporation is reduced by 17%, and it is reduced by around 28% when fully covered. It was also found that water bodies provide an adequate cooling effect, lowering the front temperature of FPV modules by 2-4% and the back temperature by 5-11% when compared to OPV modules. Thermal imaging revealed that at 0 degrees of tilt, the front temperatures of the modules are uniform, but as the tilt increases, a temperature gradient is observed between the bottom and middle parts of the modules. In addition, an experimental test was carried out in this work to compare the energy production of FPVS at different tilt angles. The test results show that when the FPV system is installed at the annual optimal tilt angle, it produces the most energy. As a result, adjusting the PV modules to their optimal tilt angle is also suggested for FPV.