Improving Module Temperature Prediction Models for Floating Photovoltaic Systems: Analytical Insights from Operational Data

Monica Nicola () and Matthew Berwind ()
Additional contact information
Monica Nicola: Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
Matthew Berwind: Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, 79110 Freiburg, Germany

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 17, 1-17

Abstract: Floating photovoltaic (FPV) systems are gaining popularity as a valuable means of harnessing solar energy on unused water surfaces. However, a significant gap persists in our comprehension of their thermal dynamics and the purported cooling benefits they provide. The lack of comprehensive monitoring data across different climatic regions and topographies aggravates this uncertainty. This paper reviews the applicability of established module temperature prediction models, originally developed for land-based PV systems, to FPVs. It then details the refinement of these models using FPV-specific data and their subsequent validation through large-scale, ongoing FPV projects. The result is a significant improvement in the accuracy of temperature predictions, as evidenced by the reduced Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and improved R-squared ( R 2 ) after parameter optimisation. This reduction means that the tailored models better reflect the distinct environmental influences and cooling processes characteristic of FPV systems. The results not only confirm the success of the proposed method in refining the accuracy of current models, but also indicate significant post-tuning changes in the parameters representing wind and convective effects. These adjustments highlight the increased responsiveness of FPVs to convective actions, especially when compared to ground-based systems, possibly due to the evaporative cooling effect of bodies of water. Through this research, we address a critical gap in our understanding of heat transfer in FPV systems and aim to enrich the knowledge surrounding the acknowledged cooling effect of FPVs.

Keywords: floating photovoltaic (FPV); module temperature; heat transfer; cooling effects; data analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/17/4289/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/17/4289/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:17:p:4289-:d:1465351

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().