The performance of photovoltaic (PV) systems is significantly affected by operating temperature, particularly in tropical climates, where elevated module temperatures reduce conversion efficiency and power output. This study evaluates the effectiveness of passive thermal regulation using heat sinks on the performance of an 8 kWp photovoltaic system installed at the Diagnostic Centre of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, Nigeria. Experimental measurements were carried out under representative operating conditions between 08:00 and 16:00 h for two distinct scenarios, viz before and after heat sink implementation. Solar irradiance, ambient temperature, module temperature, output voltage, and current were monitored. Results showed that the maximum module temperature decreased from 70°C to 56°C after the introduction of heat sinks, representing a 14°C reduction. Peak output power increased from 6.32kW to 6.96kW, corresponding to a power enhancement of 10.02 %. The module efficiency improved from 15.82% to 17.40%, while the performance ratio increased from 79.05% to 86.98%. Daily energy yield increased from 37.94kWh/day to 41.75kWh/day and capacity factor improved from 19.8% to 21.7%. The results demonstrate that passive heat sink cooling offers a simple and cost-effective approach for mitigating temperature-induced losses in photovoltaic systems operating under tropical environments. The findings further establish the suitability of thermal regulation techniques for enhancing energy reliability and operational efficiency of standalone solar installations used for critical healthcare applications.
G. et al. (Sun,) studied this question.