Abstract
A novel alternative cooling system for photovoltaic (PV) panels that includes passing pre-cooled ambient air over back panel surface is experimentally investigated for local conditions of Port Said, Egypt. This is an alternative cooling system in the sense that an earth-to-air heat exchanger (EAHE) is employed to firstly pre-cool the ambient air which is then implemented to cool the back surface of the PV panel to simultaneously improve the PV panel performance. It was possible to decrease the PV module temperature from an average 55 degrees C (without cooling) to 42 degrees C with the help of geothermal pre-cooled air flow over the back surface of a PV module at an optimum rate of 0.0288 m(3)/s. At this optimum flow rate, due to the decrease in PV module temperature, an average improvement in the PV module output power and electrical efficiency of about 18.90% and 22.98% respectively was achieved. According to economics assessment, the relative levelized cost of energy is improved by 12% due to proposed cooling system which is helped in avoiding emissions of about 13896 g CO2 per summer season.