Passive cooling techniques, such as shading and reflective surfaces, and active solutions, like water-based systems and thermoelectric cooling, offer effective ways to manage solar panel temperatures and optimize efficiency. Aiming at providing a relatively valuable reference for future work on PV panel cooling methods, this paper presents a comprehensive review of existing research on cooling methods for PV panels. PV panels cooling systems Cooling of PV panels is used to reduce the negative impact of the decrease in power output of PV panels as their operating temperature. This review explores innovations in low-water and water-saving strategies, including dry cooling, radiative cooling, and hybrid configurations (series, parallel, series–parallel). Dry cooling can reduce water consumption by up to 94% but typically raises the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) by. Effective cooling and ventilation systems ensure that solar panels, inverters, and other critical hardware are maintained within optimal temperature ranges, maximally extending their operational lifespan and efficiency. The responsibilities of a solar power plant operator are vast and dynamic.
[PDF Version]