Abstract High operating temperatures adversely affect the electrical efficiency of photovoltaic modules and can result in reduced service life, hotspot formation, and increased operational costs. Therefore, applying an effective and uniform cooling approach to the rear surface of photovoltaic modules is essential to dissipate excess heat, maintain optimal electrical energy production, and prolong their operating lifetime. Accordingly, in this study, a hybrid cooling system using capillary action, gravity‐driven water flow, and an underground heat exchange mechanism was developed and experimentally evaluated under a hot and arid climate. The proposed hybrid cooling system reduced the photovoltaic module temperature consistently and uniformly by up to 33.4°C (45.4%) under hot and arid climate conditions. Consequently, the average relative electrical efficiency improvement reached 14.85%. This significant uniform cooling reduces thermal irregularities in the solar cells and interconnecting materials, which can potentially mitigate electrical mismatches, microcracks, delamination, hotspot formation, and long‐term performance degradation. The proposed cooling system was estimated to achieve a payback period of 3.3 years, a levelized cost of electricity of 0.049 USD/kWh, and an additional CO 2 emissions reduction of approximately 55.8 kg over its 25‐year operating lifetime. The results demonstrate that the proposed hybrid cooling system provides an environmentally friendly, practical, and economically viable solution for improving the performance and durability of photovoltaic systems.
Cengiz et al. (Mon,) studied this question.
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