Experimental investigation and 4E/2S analyses of evaporative-cooled photovoltaics via waste material

Abstract

The operational performance of photovoltaics (PVs) is dependent on their operating temperatures, as elevated temperatures leads to significant reductions in conversion efficiency and overall lifespan. In response to this challenge, a diverse range of active and passive cooling techniques has been the subject of extensive research. This study explored the potential of a passive evaporative cooling technique using cotton-based Egyptian waste narrow and wide burlap fabric to improve PV panel performance. Tests were conducted under Egyptian weather conditions on three simultaneously operated panels: two modified (with narrow and wide burlap fabrics) and one conventional (uncooled). Based on the measured data, comparative analyses in terms of energy, exergy, economic, and environmental (4E) factors, and sustainability and sensitivity (2S) analysis were conducted to assess how effective, sustainable, and economical the proposed modifications are. The findings revealed that the wide burlap achieved the most significant temperature reduction of 6.6 °C (17.18 % decrease) compared to the uncooled panel. Accordingly, significant conversion performance improvements were attained with an output power gain of 10.82 % and an electrical conversion efficiency increase of 10.25 % compared to the standalone configuration. The wide burlap-based system also demonstrated the highest exergy efficiency (16.24 %) and the highest reduction in entropy generation (2.3 %), indicating more effective energy utilization. Furthermore, it offered the greatest environmental benefit, achieving a 1.97-ton CO 2 emission mitigation and an estimated maximum carbon credit of $49.4. Additionally, the power generation cost of the burlap-cooled system was marginally lower than that of the conventional system. In addition to performance enhancement, sustainability and sensitivity assessments revealed that the cooled configurations achieved higher sustainability index values with short exergy payback periods (1.18–1.37 years). Economic sensitivity results further showed that, across wide variations in interest rate and system lifetime, the burlap-cooled systems consistently maintained a lower electricity generation cost than the conventional PV module.