Investigation of the impact of temperature on the efficiency of a solar panel

Solar energy is one of the most promising renewable resources, but its performance can be significantly affected by temperature, especially in hot climates like Malaysia. This study investigates how temperature impacts the efficiency of a 50 W solar photovoltaic (PV) panel in charging a 9 Ah lead-acid battery under two conditions: without ventilation and with active cooling using ventilation fans and a Peltier cooling module. The system was enclosed in a custom-built solar box, with temperature sensors used to monitor internal heat buildup. In the ventilated condition, cool air at 12.4 °C from the Peltier chamber was directed into the box, maintaining temperatures around 25 °C. Meanwhile, the non-ventilated condition allowed temperatures to rise above 35 °C. Measurements of voltage, current, and battery voltage were recorded every hour for both setups. The results showed that the ventilated system produced higher voltage and current output, reaching up to 33.02 W with efficiency above 66 %, while the nonventilated system only reached around 22.33 W and 44.7 % efficiency. These findings confirm that thermal management significantly improves the energy conversion efficiency of photovoltaic systems. This study is particularly useful for enhancing solar applications in tropical regions and reflects real-world practices where solar systems are installed in temperature-controlled environments for greater reliability and performance.