Solar Panel Optimization Using Peltier Module TEC1-12706

Abstract

One of the renewable energy sources that is presently being developed in Indonesia is the technology that converts solar energy into electrical energy using solar cells or PV panels. The power output of a solar panel is influenced by several factors, including solar radiation intensity, panel surface temperature, shading, and the angle of solar incidence. One factor that can influence the efficiency of a solar panel is the temperature of the solar module. The efficiency of a solar panel decreases as its temperature increases. Installing a Peltier TEC1-12706 on a PV panel will have an impact on heat absorption on the surface of the PV panel, thereby optimizing the power output of the PV panel. This study utilizes three monocrystalline solar panels with a power rating of 50 Wp, which are installed under three conditions: the first solar panel without a Peltier device, the second solar panel with twenty Peltier devices connected in series beside the solar panel, and the third solar panel with twenty Peltier devices connected in series both beside and beneath the solar panel. The output of these solar panels is remotely monitored using IoT as a connection to facilitate the monitoring and control of measured variables, including ambient temperature, solar panel surface temperature, voltage, current, solar panel output power, and efficiency. The data is collected at a height of approximately 12 meters in an outdoor laboratory at the Telecommunications Department of the Electrical Engineering Polytechnic of Sriwijaya Palembang. The measurements are collected between approximately 07:00 to 17:00 local time. The research results reveal that the monocrystalline PV panel with Peltier devices connected in series beneath and beside the solar panel has a higher absorption temperature compared to the solar panel without a Peltier device. Irradiance and ambient temperature have an influence on the voltage and current of the PV panel. The measured irradiance is directly influenced by the ambient temperature. The PV panel, with the addition of Peltier devices beneath and beside it, has an output voltage of 0.3 volts, a higher current value of 0.37 amperes, an increase in output power of 8.9 watts, and an overall average efficiency enhancement of 32.6% compared to the PV panel without a Peltier device.