Initial concept for increasing polycrystalline fixed solar panel efficiency with water treatment

Abstract

Fossil energy has an impact on environmental pollution, will be replaced by renewable energy. One of renewable energy is solar energy. Solar panel is a device that can convert sunlight into electricity. However, there is a factor such as temperature that can reduce the efficiency of solar panel. Therefore, this paper shows initial concept used to cool solar panel polycrystalline that have dimension 1480 mm x 680 mm x 35 mm with water treatment method that is to drain water on top of polycrystalline solar panel with water pump and put the solar panel on top of a water tank so that solar panel temperature dan ambient temperature below the solar panel are cooler. Efficiency improvement of polycrystalline solar panel occurs, while given water treatment method. However, the initial efficiency of solar panels is 11.9%. The time needed to decreasing the temperature the solar panel from 35.8 ˚C to 25.8 ˚C is 3.35 minutes and the solar panel cooling starts at 35.8 ˚C to 25.8 ˚C for 3.35 minutes with a water flow rate of 6 liters / min. Thus, the minimum water in a water bath is 20.1 liters. The water pump consumes 4.02 WattHour energy. So that the total solar energy starting at 08.00 AM - 01.00 PM after the pump is used is 420.18 WattHour from a total of 424.2 WattHour.