Research Article
A Simple Technique for Sustaining Solar Energy
Production in Active Convective Coastal Regions
Moses E. Emetere, Marvel L. Akinyemi, and Etimbuk B. Edeghe
Department of Physics, Covenant University, Canaanland, PMB 1023, Ota, Nigeria
Correspondence should be addressed to Moses E. Emetere; emetere@yahoo.com
Received 19 March 2016; Accepted 17 July 2016
Academic Editor: Vishal Mehta
Copyright © 2016 Moses E. Emetere et al. Tis is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly
cited.
Te climatic factors in the coastal areas are cogent in planning a stable and functional solar farm. 3D simulations relating the
surface temperature, sunshine hour, and solar irradiance were adopted to see the efect of minute changes of other meteorological
parameters on solar irradiance. Tis enabled the day-to-day solar radiation monitoring with the primary objective to examine the
best technique for maximum power generation via solar option in coastal locations. Te month of January had the highest turbulent
features, showing the infuence of weather and the poorest solar radiance due to low sunshine hour. Twenty-year weather parameters
in the research area were simulated to express the systematic infuence of weather of PV performance. A theoretical solar farm was
illustrated to generate stable power supply with emphasis on the longevity of the PV module proposed by introducing an electronic
concentrator pillar (CP). Te pictorial and operational model of the solar farm was adequately explained.
1. Introduction
Te quest to meet the energy budget of a growing economy
[1] is of utmost importance. Te energy option from fossil and
nuclear sources has been reported severally to be dangerous
because of the massive release of anthropogenic pollution [2–
4] from automobiles, multipurpose generators, and industrial
machinery. Extensively, anthropogenic gas emissions into
the atmosphere may initiate climate change [5, 6], global
warming, and so forth. Hence, the promotion of clean
renewable energy source is the only way of curbing air
pollution in the environment. Solar energy is described as
the cleanest renewable energy whose source is the sun. Te
sun and its numerous events (known as solar activity) have
been reported to be the main driver of climate change [7]. Te
solar activity in the tropical regions is quite high (compared
to the polar region) to drive the global energy and convective
processes. In the tropics, high solar activity is advantageous
in operating a successful solar farm. Te annual global
radiation in tropical and subtropical regions is about 1600–
2200 kWh/m
2
. Solar farms in the tropic have capacities of
generating electric power, ranging from 10 (Megawatts) MW
to 150 MW [8]. In the coastal area of the tropics, an increased
solar activity culminates into an increased convective updraf
and downdraf, cloud formation, frequent cloud movement
[9], and so forth. Tese events in the coastal areas engender a
process known as atmospheric shading. Atmospheric shading
occurs when the cloud movement cast its shadow on the
earth surface. Atmospheric shade is inimical to solar power
generation because the solar cell is designed in such a way
that little shade on one panel can gradually shut down solar
power production. Te bypass diodes assist in minimizing the
efects of partial shading by preventing damage from reverse
bias on partially shaded cell or cells. Bypass diodes allow the
fow of electricity from nonshaded parts to pass by the shaded
part of the module. However, the failure of the bypass diode
has been reported [10]. It causes great power loss during large
shading, hence, causing the module’s performance to drop by
1/3 instantly. Te failure of the bypass diode is evident when
probed by Signal Transmitter Device.
A major advantage of the coastal areas is the high precipi-
tation level which helps to clean the surface of the solar panel
for efective photoemission. Solar energy operators in the
coastal areas are faced with challenges ranging from climate
change, inefcient solar panel, durability of the solar panel,
poor energy budget, and so forth. Te estimated solar power
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
International Journal of Photoenergy
Volume 2016, Article ID 3567502, 11 pages
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/3567502