ABSTRACT
Installing solar photovoltaic (PV) systems over canals is an emerging technology to address the energy-water-food nexus. It can improve water and energy infrastructure, leading to food security. This study compares the energy yield, performance ratio, and capacity factor of monofacial and bifacial solar PV modules for over-canal and overground installations. A 1 MW solar PV system case study is considered for installation in Multan on the Naubahar canal, and the results are compared with overground installation. The performance of the proposed configurations was evaluated through indicators such as energy yield, performance ratio, and capacity factor. Results show that the monofacial modules for over-canal installation and the bifacial modules for overground installation are the most appropriate options under hydrological and environmental conditions. Comparing all four configurations, the monofacial over-canal system has the highest energy yield (1679 MWh), performance ratio (0.813), and capacity factor (19.32%). Moreover, it is estimated that installing a 1 MW solar PV system over the canal can conserve more than 8.9 million liters of water through reduced evaporation losses and free up more than 3 hectares of arable land for agricultural or other purposes.
List of symbols
Edcis energy generated and
Pmpis rated power of PV system
Eacenergy output and
Pmprated power of PV system
His total in-plane solar irradiance and
Gstcis ¼ 1 kW= ()
Maximum photovoltaic module output voltage.
Module open circuit voltage.
Lowest possible module temperature during day, (−25°C);
Module temperature coefficient.
Array capture loss
Reference yield
Array yield
PR Performance ratio
Final system yield
Reference yield
AC energy inject into the grid in MWh or kWh
Global incident in collector plane.
CF (%) Capacity Factor
Monthly average final yield
Erepresents the evaporation
Yearly average ambient temperature.
Disclosure statement
The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Iqra Farhat
Iqra Farhat is a PhD student at the Department of Electrical Engineering, UET Lahore (New Campus), Lahore, Pakistan.
Asif Nadeem Tabish
Asif Nadeem Tabish is an associate professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering, UET Lahore (New Campus), Lahore, Pakistan.
Muhammad Raashid
Muhammad Raashid is an assistant professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering, UET Lahore (New Campus), Lahore, Pakistan.
Muhammad Imran Rashid
Muhammad Imran Rashid is an associate professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering, UET Lahore (New Campus), Lahore, Pakistan.
Muhammad Asif Hussain
Muhammad Asif Hussain is an assistant professor the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, University of Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
Muneeb Irshad
Muneeb Irshad is an assistant professor at the Department of Physics, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan.
Abdul Ghafoor
Abdul Ghafoor is an assistant professor at Department of Farm Machinery and Power, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Muhammad Usman Farid
Muhammad Usman Farid is lecture at Department of Structures & Environmental Engineering, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Numra Hassan Ansari
Numra Hassan Ansari is a former student at Center for Energy Research and Development (CERAD), UET Lahore (New Campus), Lahore, Pakistan.
Ammar Naseer
Ammar Naseer is a lecturer at the Department of Electrical Engineering, UET Lahore (New Campus), Lahore, Pakistan.