One of the main drawbacks of installation of solar panels is the conversion of solar photovoltaic system into heat island. The solar photovoltaic heat islanding effect produces heat and increases temperature of installation place. This heat generated by solar panels warm up environment and is not suitable to natural vegetation. Another main issue with solar heat islanding is the land use and land cover which directly affects the natural vegetation and reduces greenery.
In this article the heating effect of photovoltaic heat islanding is discussed along with thermal imaging. Heating effect of two different types of solar panels on natural vegetation for solar farming is also discussed to resolve the problem of land use and land cover.
Effect of Solar PV Heat Islanding on Environment
With the increase in techniques of renewable energy the land use and land cover are also increasing. Land use land cover affects the land production, surface albedo, deforestation and disturbs heating and cooling cycles of environment. The generation of electricity from solar photovoltaic systems need installation of solar photovoltaic panels on ground. Installation of solar panels on roof limits land use and land cover up to a certain range.
Infrared Thermography for Solar PV Heat Islands
Two locations are selected to investigate the heating effect of solar PV heat islands on natural vegetation. First location consists of normal solar panels installed over a solid iron pillar in DEI, deemed to be university campus at Faculty of Engineering with a small vegetation grown under it. Second location is solar agriculture farm at dairy campus of DEI, deemed to be university having transparent solar panels installed on solid iron pillars with natural vegetation grown under it.
Normal camera images and thermal images are obtained for normal solar panels and transparent solar panels on 08.05.2019 at 10.30 am. Maximum and minimum temperatures at back surface of solar panel (BSP), ground surface under solar panel (USP), near ground surface of solar panel (NSP) are observed from thermal images of normal solar panels and transparent solar panels at both locations. The following fig. 1 and fig. 2 shows location 1 and location 2 with normal solar panels and transparent solar panels installed on solid iron pillar with natural vegetation.
The following table 1 shows normal images and thermal images of location 1 and location 2 with their maximum and minimum temperatures.
Results and Discussion
After observing maximum and minimum temperatures from thermal images obtained at both locations, it is found that the temperatures of transparent solar panels at location 2 is almost constant as compared to temperatures of normal solar panels at location 1.
The variation of temperatures at location 1 is not suitable to natural vegetation which is grown under it – while there is negligible variation in temperatures at location 2. Transparent solar panels installed over solid iron pillar at location 2 provides almost natural heating and atmospheric effects on natural vegetation under it.
Conclusion
It has been concluded that solar PV heat islanding effects on natural vegetation is very small due to transparent solar panels installed on solid iron pillar. It is evident from table 1 the maximum and minimum temperatures from thermal images of transparent solar panels (BSP, USP and NSP) are almost constant which allows natural sunlight and natural heat and produces negligible effect on natural vegetation grown under it.
References
[1] Dale, V.H., Efroymson, R.A., Kline, K.L., “The land use–climate change–energy nexus”, Landscape Ecol, Springer, vol. 26, pp. 755-773, 2011
Akash Singh Chaudhary obtained his BSc Engineering in branch of Electrical Engineering in 2005 and M. Tech in Engineering Systems in 2007 from Faculty of Engineering, D.E.I. Deemed University, Dayalbagh Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. He has total seven years of teaching experience as Guest Lecturer, Lecturer, Sr. Lecturer and Assistant. Professor in Electrical Engineering Departments of different institutions. He is actively involved in teaching and currently pursuing PhD in Electrical Engineering.
Prof. D.K. Chaturvedi did his B.E. from Govt. Engineering College Ujjain, M.P. then he did his M.Tech. (gold medallist) and Ph.D. from D.E.I. Dayalbagh. He has received the Young Scientists Fellowship from DST, Government of India. He is a Fellow IE(I), ASI and IETE. ADRDE lab of DRDO conferred him life time achievement award for his valuable contributions in field of aeronautics. He is the consultant of DRDO. He had edited a
book on ethics and values; and also authored three books in soft computing, modelling and
simulation and electrical machines lab manual. Presently Prof. Chaturvedi is
working in Elect. Engineering Dept, and having additional load of HOD, Department.
of Footwear Technology, Training and Placement officer, D.E.I. and Advisor, IEI Students’ Chapter (Elect. Engineering.).
