Energy, Economic, and Environmental Benefits of Cooling Photovoltaic Module with L-Shaped Fins and Reflector in Zakho, Iraq

Solar energy is a renewable resource; however, high operating temperatures reduce photovoltaic (PV) performance. This study examines passive cooling and reflective enhancements on PV systems in Zakho, Iraq, during winter. Experiments were conducted on February 24 and 27 using two modified PV designs. While in Scenario I, L-shaped aluminum fins were attached to a PV module and compared with a reference panel. Scenario II combined fins with an aluminum reflector to increase the amount of incident solar radiation. Results showed notable performance gains. In Scenario I, power output rose by 14.2%, with peak efficiency improving from 10% (reference) to 12%. Scenario II achieved a 17.5% increase in power, with efficiency reaching 16.5% compared to 14% for the benchmark. Temperature decreases of 15.3°C (Scenario I) and 13°C (Scenario II) confirmed the effectiveness of passive cooling. An examination of life cycle costs (LCC) indicated reduced energy expenditures: $0.053/kWh for the reference scenario, down to $0.048/kWh with fins, and further lowered to $0.044/kWh with fins combined with a reflector. The payback periods have been decreased to 6.5, 5.9, and 5.5 years for reference, fins, and combined fins with reflector systems, respectively. The environmental analysis revealed yearly CO₂ emission reductions of 4.62, 5.25, and 5.93 tCO₂/year for reference, fins, and combined fins with reflector systems, respectively. Overall, integrating cooling fins and reflectors significantly improved PV performance, reduced energy costs, and enhanced environmental sustainability. This approach offers a practical and low-cost strategy to boost solar energy utilization in regions with similar climatic conditions.