Performance analysis of monofacial and bifacial over-canal solar photovoltaic (PV) system and assessment of water and land conservation potential

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.

KEYWORDS:

• Monofacial module
• bifacial module
• over-canal solar PV system
• water and land conservation

List of symbols

E_dcis energy generated and

P_mpis rated power of PV system

E_acenergy output and

P_mprated power of PV system

His total in-plane solar irradiance and

G_stcis ¼ 1 kW=$m^2$ ($G_{stc}$)

$V_{max}$Maximum photovoltaic module output voltage.

$V_{oc}$Module open circuit voltage.

$T_{mod}$Lowest possible module temperature during day, (−25°C);

$K_t$Module temperature coefficient.

$L_c$Array capture loss

$Y_r$Reference yield

$Y_a$Array yield

PR Performance ratio

$Y_f$Final system yield

$Y_r$Reference yield

$E_{grid}$AC energy inject into the grid in MWh or kWh

$Glo{b}_{inc}$Global incident in collector plane.

CF (%) Capacity Factor

$Y_{f,m}$Monthly average final yield

Erepresents the evaporation

$T_{avg}$Yearly average ambient temperature.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

The authors did not receive support from any organization for the submitted work.

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.