"IoT-based evaluation of photovoltaic modules enhanced by different reflector materials"

Area of Science:

• Renewable Energy Engineering
• Materials Science
• Internet of Things (IoT) Applications

Background:

• Photovoltaic (PV) module efficiency is crucial for solar energy adoption.
• Enhancing PV output with low-cost materials is an active research area.
• Real-time performance monitoring is essential for evaluating PV system enhancements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of low-cost planar reflectors in enhancing PV module energy generation.
• To develop and validate an integrated, low-cost IoT-based framework for real-time PV performance monitoring.
• To assess the impact of different reflector materials and angles on PV output and module temperature.

Main Methods:

• Deployment of four identical 50W mono-crystalline PV modules under outdoor conditions.
• Utilizing aluminum foil, galvanized steel, and mirror reflectors with varying inclination angles.
• Development of a custom ESP32-based IoT monitoring unit for continuous data logging (voltage, current, power, temperature).

Main Results:

• All tested reflector materials improved daily energy yield compared to a reference module.
• A 30° reflector angle achieved the highest enhancement, with mirror reflectors increasing yield by up to 21.2%.
• Increased module temperature (up to 7°C) was observed with higher optical gain, indicating a trade-off.

Conclusions:

• Simple reflector surfaces effectively boost PV output in high solar irradiance regions.
• The developed IoT system provides accurate and robust real-time field evaluation of PV enhancements.
• Galvanized steel and aluminum foil offer viable alternatives with moderate gains and reduced thermal loading.