Journal of Cleaner Production 284 (2021) 125465

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Journal of Cleaner Production

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jclepro

Review

Solar photovoltaic energy optimization methods, challenges and

issues: A comprehensive review
Omar A. Al-Shahri a, Firas B. Ismail a, M.A. Hannan b, *, M.S. Hossain Lipu c,
Ali Q. Al-Shetwi d, e, R.A. Begum f, Nizar F.O. Al-Muhsen g, Ebrahim Soujeri h
a
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kajang, 43000, Malaysia
b
Department of Electrical Power Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kajang, 43000, Malaysia
c
Department of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, 43600, Malaysia
d
Institute of Sustainable Energy, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kajang, 43000, Malaysia
e
Dept of Electrical Engineering, Fahad Bin Sultan University, 47721, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
f
Institute of Climate Change, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, 43600, Malaysia
g
Technical Instructors Training Institute, Middle Technical University, Baghdad, Iraq
h
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Final International University, Kyrenia, N Cyprus

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: The implementation of renewable energy brings numerous advantages including reduction of power
Received 11 June 2020 transmission cost and minimization of the global warming problems. The investigation of the influencing
Received in revised form operational parameters as well as optimization of the solar energy system is the key factors to enhance
5 December 2020
the power conversion efficiency. The different optimization methods in solar energy applications have
Accepted 7 December 2020
Available online 9 December 2020
been utilized to improve performance efficiency. However, the development of optimal methods under
the intermittent nature of solar energy resources remains key issues to be explored. Therefore, this paper
Handling editor: Prof. Jiri Jaromir Kleme
s presents a comprehensive review of the main generic objectives of optimization in renewable energy
systems, such as solar energy systems. Moreover, this study introduces the most recent intelligent
Keywords: optimization methods used in solar energy systems with regard to its functions, constraints, research
Solar energy systems gaps and contributions. From this review, it can be concluded that the main objectives of optimizations
Optimization methods methods are to reduce minimize investment, operation and maintenance costs and emissions to enhance
Renewable energy the system reliability. This review also outlines a brief discussion of various challenges and issues of solar
Intelligent optimization methods
energy optimization. Finally, the review delivers some effective future directions toward the develop-
Energy efficiency
ment of an efficient and stable solar PV system.
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contents

1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.1. Capacity of solar power generation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. Reviewing methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3. Overview of solar energy optimization methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3.1. Optimizations methods for PV based hybrid system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3.1.1. Economic objectives valuation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.1.2. Energy objectives assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.1.3. Integration of economic, energy and environment objectives analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.2. Optimization methods in PV systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4. Optimization challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.1. RES optimization challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.2. Solar energy optimization challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: hannan@uniten.edu.my (M.A. Hannan).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125465
0959-6526/© 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
O.A. Al-Shahri, F.B. Ismail, M.A. Hannan et al. Journal of Cleaner Production 284 (2021) 125465

4.3. Solar system design challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

5. Issues on solar energy optimization approaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
5.1. PV based hybrid system optimization challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
5.2. Issues on types of solar cells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
5.3. Issues on outdoor conditions of solar on parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
5.4. Issues on solar energy efficiency enhancement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
5.5. Issues on the maximization of power point tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
5.6. Issues on solar energy conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
5.7. Issues on solar parameters cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
6. Future directions for solar performance enhancement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
7. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Declaration of competing interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Acknowledgment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

1. Introduction Report, 2019). The growing interest in using optimization tech-

niques for deploying solar PV systems is being expanded
The unsustainable global energy consumption has seriously throughout the world through research articles published from
increased the pressure on the fossil fuel resources resulting in a rise developed countries such as the US and European countries as well
in the global warming effects and climate change issues. Conse- as emerging economies, such as China and India.
quently, it is expected that the global ambient temperature will
increase by approximately 2
C by 2050 due to the pollutant
1.1. Capacity of solar power generation
emissions caused by non-renewable energy resources (Bastida
et al., 2019) (Al-Shetwi et al., 2020). To address these concerns,
Although the use of renewable energy globally has noticeably
effective actions need to be initiated immediately to decrease the
increased, the unpredictability of these resources has put enormous
negative environmental impacts as well as explore efficient and
pressure on large-scale power generation projects in the national
economical renewable energy sources (RESs). Numerous research
grids. In this context, Al-Maamary et al. (2017) reviewed the chal-
works have been carried out on RESs technologies for the last few
lenges in the renewable energy sector in the 21st century and
decades to improve the overall system efficiency. According to the
emphasized optimizing the policies and techniques regarding
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) report (IRENA,
renewable sources to gain more benefits from the current power
2018), the electricity cost from renewable power generation has
systems. Besides, proper representation of the operational param-
reduced gradually in the last few years. This cost decrement has
eters in the RESs can accurately solve the performance optimization
encouraged many countries of the world to adopt RESs in their
problems (Asadi and Sadjadi, 2017; Atwa et al., 2009). Gooding et al.
national power systems. The power generation by RESs has become
(2014) developed a practical model for a power distribution system
prevalent since the energy demand is rising continuously because
in Carolina-US targeting the creation of a self-supporting isolation
of the growth in the world industry and urbanization.
capability. The authors concluded that if more accurate real-time
In general, the annual consumption of energy faces regular in-
input data were defined for the developed model, it could deliver
crements. If the world population growth continues with this ac-
more accurate results and then achieve a better system perfor-
celeration, then the annual consumption of oil and natural gas used
mance. Hence, adequate control, prediction, and precision of RESs
to produce power will become doubled by 2050 (Harrouz et al.,
representation could play a key role in ensuring reliability of this
2017; Lund and Mathiesen, 2009; Qazi et al., 2019). In addition to
type of unsteady energy supply. Indeed, the development of a novel
that, there are various reasons to divert toward RESs including a
and effective optimization approach to tackle renewable energy
decrease in the costs of energy production from RESs, reduction of
issues has become a hot topic of research, especially for wind and
carbon emissions, competitive nature of the market, and the reli-
solar energy in recent years.
ability of renewable energy technologies. Solar and wind energies
In the literature, several valuable studies have been carried out
have led to an increase in sustainable energy generations, with
to enhance different aspects of RESs systems either alone or in
approximately 77% of new capacity in 2017 (Al-Maamary et al.,
hybrid systems using various optimization methods. Besides, a few
2017). The cost of electricity from solar photovoltaic (PV) cells
studies reviewed the optimization techniques in solar energy sys-
dropped by almost three-quarters in the period between 2010 and
tems. Elsheikh and Elaziz (2019) surveyed particle swarm optimi-
2017 (Hannan et al., 2019a). Wind turbine prices have reduced by
zation (PSO) to improve the effectiveness of the solar PV system.
about half in a comparable timeframe which leads to cheaper wind
Elsheikh et al. (2019) explored the commonly used intelligent
energy.
techniques to optimize the performance of different solar energy
The development of solar PV energy throughout the world is
devices. Hafez et al. (2017) focused on the optimal design of solar
presented in two levels, one is the expansion of solar PV projects
PV system covering key parameters, mathematical models, simu-
and research and the other is the research and development (R&D)
lations and test methods. Oh and Park (2019) did an investigation of
advancements (Gul et al., 2016). On the research side, the number
optimal panel orientations of solar PV system through the analysis
of research papers concerning the deployment of optimization
of temporal volatility toward grid stability. Overall, the contents of
methods in the solar PV systems has increased rapidly in the past
the abovementioned reviews are limited to describe the structures
decade. In addition to the evolution in scientific articles, PV in-
and procedures of the traditional and new approaches without
stallations have also grown. For instance, solar PV became the
focusing on the challenges and issues. Therefore, the motivation of
world’s fastest-growing renewable power technology according to
this work is to analyze recent optimization methods emphasizing
a global electricity market in 2018, as shown in Fig. 1 (Global Status
their issues, challenges while identifying its current and future
2
O.A. Al-Shahri, F.B. Ismail, M.A. Hannan et al.
Fig. 1. Global capacity of solar PV power production (Global Status Report, 2019).
research directions. Given the diversity of the optimization
methods, the major contributions of this review are to provide clear
and detailed insight into the methods while directing attentive
readers to other articles. The main findings of this review are
summarized below.
 This review analyses the most recent literature on intelligent
optimization methods in the field of solar energy PV applica-
tions. The key aspects of optimization methods are featured
concerning their objective functions and constraints dividing
into economic and energy perspectives. The objectives of energy
and economic valuation are discussed with regard to cost,
sizing, reliability, load demand, power loss and voltage stability.
In line with that, the contributions, research gaps and main
results are highlighted.
 This review explores the several with key challenges of opti-
mization methods of solar energy concerning complex calcula-
tion, objective function formulation, algorithm execution,
hybridization, structure, sizing, placement, power quality and
efficiency.
 This work also outlines the important issues of solar PV opti-
mization related to solar cells types, temperature variation,
maximum power point tracking, energy conversion, efficiency
and parameter cooling.
 This review suggests some selective proposal for the further
advancement of the optimization in solar energy systems. The
analysis, key findings, and recommendations would be helpful
toward the development of efficient and sustainable energy
management in the renewable energy domain.
2. Reviewing methodology
The content analysis was adopted to carry out this survey. The
appropriate articles selection of this review was executed through
three screening phases. The first screening of the literature survey
was performed using different platforms including the Google
Scholar, Scopus science databases, Web of Science and research
gate. The results showed that the authors found 537 articles after
the first screening. Next, the second screening and evaluation were
proceeded using important keywords including solar energy sys-
tems, optimization methods, renewable energy, intelligent optimiza-
tion methods and energy efficiency. Apart from keywords, the paper
title, abstract and article contents were chosen to find the relevant
articles. The results revealed that a total of 264 articles was iden-
tified after the second screening. Afterword, the third screening
and assessment were conducted based on the number of citations,
review process and impact factor and accordingly a total of 127
3
Journal of Cleaner Production 284 (2021) 125465
articles published in recent conference proceedings, books, recog-
nized webpages and notable journals was identified. The authors
have read the selected 127 articles thoroughly to extract useful
information as well as carry out critical review, analysis and dis-
cussion relating to solar energy optimization, issues and challenges.
The schematic diagram of reviewing methodology is shown in
Fig. 2.
The results obtained through the three screening phases were
divided into four groups. Firstly, the different optimization
methods in solar energy were comprehensively reviewed focusing
on PV system and hybrid PV system. Secondly, the various chal-
lenges of solar energy optimization were highlighted. Thirdly, the
key issues related to solar energy optimization were explored and
accordingly the various alternative solutions are outlined. Lastly,
the review delivered some important recommendations for future
improvement of solar energy optimization.
3. Overview of solar energy optimization methods
The presence of solar radiation is important and essential factor
for the proper functioning of the solar energy system. The energy
generated by solar PV varies with the change in solar irradiation
during the day. The reliability of the solar energy system is sub-
stantially affected by the weather parameters (Bhandari et al.,
2015). Therefore, optimization methods play an imperative role in
enhancing the reliability and effectiveness of the solar system. To
achieve this, it is crucial to develop methods to resolve complex
optimization problems for a PV system.
3.1. Optimizations methods for PV based hybrid system
The adaptability, robustness, and strong computational intelli-
gence of optimization methods have allowed to solve complex
problems in PV based hybrid system. For instance, an optimization
model for hybrid systems was used to achieve an optimal config-
uration of hybrid RESs based on various generating system com-
binations (Othman and Musirin, 2010). The computer software
HOMER has been extensively used in the last decade to define
optimum RESs size, configuration, and operational approach
(Bahramara et al., 2016). It was shown that the optimal configura-
tion of a hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) is a combination
of solar PV, wind turbine, diesel generator, and battery storage. The
appropriate structure of HRES can bring several benefits such as
continuous power supply, high efficiency, low maintenance cost
and efficient load management. However, HRES has some limita-
tions such as complex layout, high installation cost and compli-
cated control operation (Uche et al., 2019). Based on the study
O.A. Al-Shahri, F.B. Ismail, M.A. Hannan et al. Journal of Cleaner Production 284 (2021) 125465

Fig. 2. Schematic diagram of the reviewing methodology.

conducted by Georgescu-Roegen (1971), this review has classified

the optimization objectives of PV-based hybrid systems into three PT C0 þMt þFt
groups; economic valuation and energy assessment and integration t¼1 ð1þrÞt
of economic and energy estimation. LCOE ¼ PT Et
(1)
t¼1 ð1þrÞt

3.1.1. Economic objectives valuation

The economic evaluation of solar PV can be explained from the
point of view of the average cost curve as suggested by Eiteman
et al. (1952). The average cost curve of solar PV defines a line in the
graph denoting the per-unit cost from the minimum to the
maximum. The per-unit cost curve of solar PV comprises marginal
cost (MC), average total cost (ATC), average variable costs (AVC),
and the average fixed cost (AFC), as shown in Fig. 3. MC outlines the
cost of producing an extra unit of output, AVC is the cost involved in
producing more units, AFC is the fixed cost divided by the quantity
of output and ATC is the total cost divided by the quantity of output.
Zeraatpisheh et al. (2018) evaluated the effectiveness of the
solar PV system using various economic matrices including Lev-
elized cost of energy (LCOE), payback period (PP), net present value
(NPV), internal rate of return (IRR) and profitability index (PI). The
mathematical formulas of the above-stated indicators are written
below, Fig. 3. The shape of the average cost curve in solar PV.

4
O.A. Al-Shahri, F.B. Ismail, M.A. Hannan et al. Journal of Cleaner Production 284 (2021) 125465

C0 LPSðtÞ ¼ EL ðtÞ þ ½EG ðtÞ þ EB ðt  1Þ  EBmin hinv (9)

PP ¼ (2)
Ct
where, EB is the battery energy, EL is the energy requirement by the
load during time t, EG is the energy generated during time t, EB is the
XT Ct
NPV ¼  C0 (3) energy stored in the battery during time t, hinv denotes the effi-
t¼1 ð1 þ rÞt ciency of the DCeAC inverter.
In (Zhou et al., 2010), artificial intelligent techniques were
XT Ct identified as promising tools to optimize the size and minimize the
0¼  C0 (4) production cost of the hybrid system. The authors concentrated on
t¼1 ð1 þ IRRÞt
developing an optimum combination for a hybrid system through
an appropriate compromise balance between two targets including
NPV reliability and cost of the system. The authors employed several
PI ¼ (5)
C0 different metrics to evaluate the reliability of the system such as
LPSP, system performance level (SPL), loss of load probability
where, C0 is the total investment cost, Mt is the operation and (LOLP) and loss of load hours (LOLH).
maintenance cost during time t, Ft is the fuel cost during time t, r is Amer et al. (2013) and Mohamed et al. (2016) proposed particle
the discount rate, Et is the electricity produced by the solar PV swarm optimization (PSO) to reduce the cost and optimize the size
during time t, Ct is the net cash flow during time t, T is expected of the hybrid system. The outcomes exhibited that PSO solutions
lifespan of the solar PV system. saved time, load demand, and minimized the LCE. The mathemat-
The authors in (Ming et al., 2017) introduced an optimization ical expression for objective function toward optimal design and
technique to enhance the design of PV-wind hybrid system based cost reduction can be written as follows,
on the multi-objective genetic algorithm. Reliable energy supply n o
with the minimum investment was achieved by this proposed minx costðxÞ ¼ minx Ccaptial ðxÞ þ COMC ðxÞ þ CRC ðxÞ þ CDG ðxÞ
analysis. The results obtained in this work demonstrated that
influential parameters of the system had the potential to optimize (10)
the system performance. The expression of multi-objective func- 8
tion can be written as, >
> E  EB ðtÞ  EB;max
< PB;min
ðtÞ  P
Dg Dgr
 Subject to:
 PLLP sum index
(11)
minðCs ; Fe ; Pu Þ; the isolated mode >
> P
minF ¼ (6) : LLP sum
minðCs ; Fe ; Pnre Þ; the grid  connected mode Edummymin  Edummy  Edummymax

8 where, Ccaptial is the initial cost, COMC is the operation and mainte-
>
> nance cost, CRC is replacement cost, CDG is the diesel generator cost,
> Hlow  Hwg  Hhigh
>
>
>
< SOCmin  SOCðtÞ  SOCmax EB is the battery energy, PDg and PDgr are the average power and
Subject to: (7) rated power of the diesel generator, respectively; PLLP_sum is the
>
>
min
Pbat max
 Pbat ðtÞ  Pbat accumulated unmet power of low priority load and Edummy is the
>
>
>
>
: 0  Pdg  Pdgr dummy load.
The work by (Twaha and Ramli, 2018) suggested an optimiza-
tion approach considering the energy storage into the system to
where, Cs is the total cost of the system including primary cost,
enhance the reliability indices. The purpose of the model was to
repair cost, fuel cost, replacement cost and electricity buying/
reduce the NPV of the electricity generation as well as to determine
selling cost to the grid, Fe is the fuel emissions, Pu is the probability
the optimal energy storage systems. A work in (Sopian et al., 2008)
of failing to meet the load demand, Pnre is the proportion of non-
employed genetic algorithm to reduce the operational cost of the
renewable energy sources, Hlow, Hhigh and Hwg stand for the low,
hybrid system through the minimization of the generator use and
high and actual height of wind turbine, SOC is state of charge of the
the maximization of the generated power from the hybrid system.
battery; Pbat is the input/output power of the battery; Pdg and Pdgr
Additionally, the optimization objectives were formulated to
denote the rated and actual output power of the battery,
decrease the system costs including investment, operating and
respectively.
maintenance costs as well as lessen pollutant emission to enhance
The work in (Lee and El-Sharkawi, 2008) illustrated that two or
the system efficiency, thus leading to a reduction of the customer
more individual optimization methods to build a hybrid system
anticipated failure costs.
delivered better solutions than a single optimization method based
hybrid system. The authors focused on optimizing the cost and size
of the hybrid system. In (Nogueira et al., 2014), the linear pro- 3.1.2. Energy objectives assessment
gramming techniques were used to limit the cost of the hybrid Georgescu-Roegen (1979) performed the energy and economic
system by specifying a better size. The sizing methodology was analysis of solar PV from the perspective of entropy law. The author
evaluated based on the reliability of the system which was repre- carried out the net energy analysis and gross energy analysis
sented as the maximum loss of power supply probability (LPSPmax). emphasizing the controlled solar energy and environmental en-
The LPSP is calculated by assessing the loss of power supply (LPS) ergy. In line with this, the author assessed the global solar radiation
for a particular duration divided by the total energy required by the technology considering solar energy (SE), solar collector (CL), cap-
load, as expressed in the following equation, ital equipment (K) and fossil fuel energy (FE). Raugei et al. (2016)
and (Gulaliyev et al., 2020) discussed the net energy analysis of
PT
LPSðtÞ solar PV systems highlighting various matrices to define energy
LPSP ¼ Pt¼1
T
(8) efficiency including energy return on investment (EROI), energy
t¼1 EL ðtÞ
pay-back time (EPBT) and cumulative energy demand (CED). The
formulas of the abovesaid metrics are expressed below,
5
O.A. Al-Shahri, F.B. Ismail, M.A. Hannan et al.
Outel
EROI ¼ (12)
Inv
Outel ¼ Apv  HR  hP  ð1  lP Þ  ð1  lC Þ (13)
OutNET ¼ OutPEeq  Inv (14)
T
EROIPEeq ¼ (15)
EPBT
ðPE þ InvÞ
CED ¼ (16)
Outel
where, Outel is total electricity generation by solar PV technology,
Inv represents the energy ‘investment’ for construction, system
operation and decommissioning during the entire lifespan, Apv is
the area of solar PV module, HR is the solar radiation, hP is solar
module efficiency, lC and lC denote the losses due to surface
contamination and cooling of PV batteries, respectively, PE denotes
primary energy obtained directly from nature, OutNet is net energy
return, T is the lifetime of solar PV system.
Kougias et al. (2016) proposed a methodology based on an
optimization algorithm with small hydropower stations (SHPS) and
solar system and then suggested possible alterations on the system
design to elevate energy production over time. The proposed
optimization method examined the best possible PV system
installation by finding the suitable value of azimuth, tilt with a
slight compromise in the output of the solar PV system. The vali-
dation was performed using a case study and results illustrated a
substantial rise in solar power generation (66.4%) with a 10%
compromise in solar energy output.
Acun~ a et al. (2017) proposed a new reliability index named the
maximum energy expected not supplied (maxEENS) where the
authors considered risk factors concerning the worst-case scenario
of energy supply from the HRESs including solar PV and wind
turbines. A probabilistic approach was developed using minimum
electric power obtained in an hour from the solar PV and wind
turbine. The aim was to maximize the utilization of RESs while
minimizing the use of backup systems. The results demonstrated
higher reliability, higher utilization of RESs and lower usage of
battery banks in comparison to traditional methodologies. The
equation of EENS can be written as follows,
ð
Pmax
8 flicting objectives including cost reduction and carbon emis-
> L  ph fph ðph Þdph ; L > Pmax
>
> sions minimization. The expression of multi-objective functions
>
>
< Pmin
EENS ¼ Pmax
ð (17)
>
> 8
>
> ðL  ph Þfph ðph Þdph ; Pmin  L  P
>
:
Pmin
0; L  Pmax
Where, Pmax and Pmin denote the generated maximum and mini-
mum power from the HRES, respectively, L is the electrical load, fph
(ph) is the probability density function of HRES.
Yammani et al. (2016) proposed a multi-objective shuffled Bat
algorithm to obtain optimize sizing and placement of HRES
including solar, wind and fuel cells. The authors studied active,
reactive power losses and voltage profile to formulate the objective
function. The proposed model was verified under different load
models including residential, commercial and industrial. The
effectiveness of the model was assessed on 33 bus distribution
networks and results were compared with other well-known
6
Journal of Cleaner Production 284 (2021) 125465
methods.
Esmaeili et al. (2016) suggested a multi-objective framework for
optimal structure and power distribution of HRES including solar,
wind and fuel cells. The objective functions were formulated to
minimize the electrical power losses and carbon emission while
maximizing the voltage consistency under different constraints.
The proposed model was tested in different cases of 25-bus and 33-
bus test systems under unbalanced load profiles. The objective
function to minimize the power loss can be expressed as follows,
!
X
Nbr h  i
minðPLoss Þ ¼ min Gkij Vi2 þ Vj2  2Vi2 Vj2 cos qi  qj
k¼1
(18)
Where, Nbr is the number of branches, Gkij presents the branch k
between bus i and j, Vi and Vj denote the voltage at bus i and j,
respectively, qi and qj are the angle at bus i and j, respectively.
Singh et al. (2017) applied genetic algorithm (GA)-based multi-
objective optimization for the optimal placement of HRES aiming to
achieve best results relating to the real power and reactive power
reduction, voltage profile improvement, short-circuit current
reduction and CO2 emission reduction. The feasibility of the pro-
posed methodology is verified on IEEE-37 bus distribution test
system. The objective function was formulated using the various
performance indices, as shown in the following equation,
Objective fucntion ¼ l1 ðPLIÞ þ l2 ðQLIÞ þ l3 ðVDIÞ þ l4 ðSCCIÞ
þ l5 ðEIRIÞ
(19)
Where, PLI is the real power loss index, QLI is the reactive power
index, VDI is voltage deviation index, SCCI is short circuit current
index, EIRI is environmental impact reduction index, l1, l2, l3, l4, and
l5 are the weight factor, indicating the value of 0.4, 0.3, 0.1, 0.1 and
0.1, respectively.
3.1.3. Integration of economic, energy and environment objectives
analysis
In some cases, economic and energy evaluation was carried
out simultaneously to make a balance between energy supply
and demand. For instance, Majidi et al. (2017) introduced multi-
objective functions to design an optimal model for a grid inte-
grated hybrid system including PV, battery and fuel cell. A
mixed-integer linear program was applied to achieve two con-
for cost and emissions can be written as,
   
grid
< min Cos t total ¼ min Cos tpurchase þ Cos t gas  Salepv
   
: min emissiontotal ¼ min emissiongas þ emissiongrid
(20)
Where, Costtotal is the total cost of hybrid system, Costgridpurchase is
the energy purchased cost from grid, Costgas is the cost of pur-
chased gas, Salepv is the selling electricity price to the grid,
emissiontotal is the total emission, emissiongas is the CO2 emis-
sion due to gas consumption, emissiongrid is the CO2 emission
due to the fossil fuel combustion in the grid.
Mallikarjun and Lewis (2014) outlined two-stage multi-objec-
tive approaches to attain an optimal energy technology for a PV
based hybrid system. The proposed optimal technology-policy
framework considered the various aspects of HRES to meet the
O.A. Al-Shahri, F.B. Ismail, M.A. Hannan et al.
three objectives including economic planning, technical design,
and environmental impacts simultaneously. In the first stage, the
authors assessed the effectiveness of energy technology based on
the results of three objectives. In the second stage, renewable
penetration, capacity limitations for each energy resource, energy
demand and dispatchability for each end-use and factor efficiencies
in the first stage were taken into consideration.
Table 1 shows the summary of recent optimization applications
applied to solve different objective functions for HRESs with the PV
solar system.
3.2. Optimization methods in PV systems
The RES optimization, especially the PV system, is strongly
linked to weather factors such as solar radiation, ambient tem-
perature, and wind speed. In addition, mathematical models are
mostly employed in several previous studies (Sathishkumar et al.,
2016). Therefore, various intelligence techniques have been
employed recently to improve the overall performance of PV sys-
tems. The PSO algorithm has been proven to become one of the
most efficient and reliable techniques that can be implemented for
maximizing PV systems performance, and thus greater output po-
wer can be attained, as shown by MATLAB simulation results in
(Sawant and Bhattar, 2016). Ram et al. (2017) reported that the PSO
technique attained positive impressions in system optimization in
terms of ability and speed. It was concluded that the main objec-
tives of optimization in solar energy systems included the maxi-
mization of reliability, minimization of the expected costs, optimal
scheduling operations and assignment of resources. Various opti-
mization methods have varying convergence rates, accuracy per-
formance, and computational complexity. Hence, the selection of
an appropriate approach depends on user requirements and
application type. Intelligent approaches are proven to become more
robust and accurate than conventional methods due to their strong
exploration and exploitation ability to find the global optimal so-
lutions as well as precise calculation and convergence speed
(Zakaria et al., 2020).
The objective functions of the optimization have shifted in most
cases to maximize system reliability. This is manageable by way of
controlling the efficiency of the operational parameter. The
implementation of an active cooling system for the PV panel
enhanced the basic efficiency to 5% of the panel (Zagrebu, 2004).
Stritih (2016) adopted a temperature control strategy to improve
the generated electricity from the PV system to 7%. This strategy
was based on phase change materials (PCM) and historical data
recorded for the location. The temperature of the two-phase PCM
can be expressed as follows,
 
TPCM ¼ Tliquefacation  Tsolidification Xnew þ Tsolidification (21)
where Tliquefacation and Tsolidification stand for the temperature of
liquefaction and solidification of the PCM material, respectively,
Xnew presents the quality of the PCM after each time step.
The author in (Moharram et al., 2013) proposed a PCM cooling
strategy to control the PV surface temperature through the spray
water on the PV panels. The cooling time t is estimated from the
following energy balance equation,
mg  cg  DTg
t¼ (22)
mw  cw  DTw
where, mg and mw are the mass of glass and mass flow rate of water,
respectively, cg and cw are the heat capacity of glass and specific
heat capacity of water, respectively, DTg and DTw denote the glass
7
Journal of Cleaner Production 284 (2021) 125465
temperature change and water temperature rise, respectively.
The problem with the methodology was that it needed more
time to reach the acceptable surface temperature. As a result, the
PCM integrated layer was employed to enhance the yearly gener-
ated power from the PV system, as mention in (Smith et al., 2014).
However, the proposed method did not consider the tracking sys-
tem and real data capturing from the site. To overcome this issue,
PSO was used to optimize the MPPT and enhanced efficiency. The
outcomes of this study proved that the PSO method was excellent
with regard to robustness, efficiency, and reliability (Sawant and
Bhattar, 2016). Table 2 shows the summary of recent optimization
methods for the photovoltaic solar system only.
4. Optimization challenges
4.1. RES optimization challenges
The generation capacity of RESs has increased substantially with
the rise of energy demand and performance improvement due to
the deployment of various optimization technologies. At present,
the total power generation capacity rose by about 9% compared
with that of 2016 (Al-Maamary et al., 2017; Hannan et al., 2020a).
The renewables estimated as 70% of net additions to world power
capacity in 2017 according to reference (Global Status Report,
2019). This was mainly attributed to the increased cost competi-
tiveness of solar PV panels and wind power turbine technologies as
well as the available performance optimization technologies. There
is a huge investment in renewable power technologies to improve
efficiency. According to IRENA report, the renewable power gen-
eration costs have continued to fall since 2017 (Ilas et al., 2018). The
development and deployment of renewable energy technologies
need polices and expenditure, which has not been investigated
comprehensively (Gooding et al., 2014). In addition to that, the rise
in the use of renewable energy leads to more awareness about
energy efficiency and quality with respect to electricity generation
and supply. The common drawback of using renewable resources is
their intermittent nature (Blondeau and Mertens, 2019); however,
the main benefits of renewable resources is the reliability of the
system found in the operational parameters.
Power quality is therefore a measure of the system’s ability to
allow customers to use their electronic devices without distur-
bance. Any peculiarity or failure in the power network that may
hinder or disrupt the operation of electrical devices implies a lack of
power quality or a lack of reliability. The execution of the RESs will
reduce both transmission costs and production costs. However, the
common downside of using RESs is their constant challenge
because of their volatile existence, which entirely depends on
climate change and can lead to load-rejection at some points (Asadi
and Sadjadi, 2017; Hepbasli, 2008). Renewable energy output po-
wer will soon be cheaper than fossil-fuel power. Overall, with the
advancement of RESs, many optimization challenges have been
taken into consideration with respect to energy cost reduction, net
present cost reduction, other cost-related optimization includes life
cycle cost (LCC). The optimum size and capacity of RESs depend on
the fulfillment of the desired levels of reliability in terms of
reduction of power supply, operational cost, overall system effi-
ciency and carbon emissions.
4.2. Solar energy optimization challenges
Among the different technologies of renewable energy, solar
energy dominates the renewable industry. However, regardless of
the strong momentum in the last years, solar energy faces serious
constraints that can hinder this accelerated growth. These obstacles
can be summarized with regard to technologies, policies,
O.A. Al-Shahri, F.B. Ismail, M.A. Hannan et al. Journal of Cleaner Production 284 (2021) 125465

Table 1
Recent optimization methods for PV based hybrid systems to enhance the efficiency.

Ref. Optimization Objective function Input Parameters Main results\contributions Future work\Gaps
Method

Lee and El- Linear Minimize the cost and LPSP Specified better size of the system The different methods may apply with long
Sharkawi programming increased reliability historical data.
(2008)
Zhou et al. Artificial Optimize the size Cost of the produced Specified better size of the system Artificial intelligence techniques are
(2010) Intelligence power identified as the promising method which
method requires further exploration to build an
efficient system toward the enhancement of
power output and reliability indices.
Mohamed PSO Optimal sizing Load Demand Minimize the system cost The results showed that the optimization
et al. process would save more time compared to
(2016) the serial PSO implementation.
Amer et al. PSO Typical load demand power generated Reduce the Levelized cost of energy (LCE) The use of load demand as the key reason for
(2013) and optimize the system the overall power losses in the potential
operation of the entire network.
Sopian et al. Genetic Minimizing the total Operational process Maximize the power output of the system Future works may include adding
(2008) Algorithms operation cost components while trying to minimize the constraints such as renewable fraction and
use of the generator maximum generator usage.
Twaha and Mixed- Reduce the NPV of the Frequency index average System average interruption frequency The power losses should be taken into
Ramli integer electricity generation interruption index improves with the incorporation of consideration and a smaller time step
(2018) optimization energy storage into the micro-grid should be used to investigate the variability
of the renewable generation and loads.
Sawle et al. Artificial Determining Optimum Voltage and frequency Power investment methods planner, green Hybrid approaches need to be further
(2016) Intelligence Integration of RES control hybrid systems are linked to the grid. improved.
method
Ming et al. Multi- Optimize the cost and DC and AC load Obtains a set of Pareto optimal structures of The optimal design of HRES and interactive
(2017) objective fuel emissions. the HRES in each mode. decision making can be studied.
genetic
algorithm
Kougias Iterative Increase solar energy Solar energy irradiance Significant rise in solar power generation by The incentive schemes and motives are
et al. optimization output. and hydroelectric 66.4%. required to enhance the complementarity
(2016) algorithm renewable energy and developments of renewable energy
production. systems.
~ a et al. Probabilistic
Acun Maximize the Monthly solar radiation Increases the system reliability by reducing The development of the multi-objective
(2017) approach utilization of RESs and and average wind speed. the cost and maximizing the RESs function is a challenge to be explored.
minimize the usage of utilization.
backup systems
Yammani Multi- Optimize the sizing Active, reactive power Voltage profiles have better performance Assessment of CO2 emissions reduction can
et al. objective and placement of losses and voltage profile under all load models be considered in future
(2016) shuffled Bat HRES of different load models.
algorithm
Esmaeili Big Minimize the electrical Voltage, conductance, The diversification metric (DM) of 0.97 and Further investigation is required to validate
et al. Bang-Big power losses, CO2 resistance and reactance mean ideal distance (MID) of 0.532 the model under different load profiles.
(2016) Crunch emissions and illustrates better exploration capability.
algorithm maximizes the voltage
stability.
Singh et al. GA Optimal placement of Real power, reactive Achieves better performance with Hybrid artificial intelligence methods can be
(2017) HRES power, voltage profile minimum real and reactive power loss. employed for the improvement of
short-circuit current. distribution power.
Majidi et al. Mixed- Cost reduction and Electrical and thermal Cost is reduced by USD 544 and CO2 Further exploration is required under
(2017) integer linear CO2 emissions loads, heat storage tank emissions is decreased by 156 kg. dynamic load profiles.
program minimization efficiency and fuel cell
efficiency
Mallikarjun Technology- Optimal energy Renewable penetration, The outcomes of the proposed framework is The proposed method can be further
and policy technology allocation energy resource capacity, useful for policy makers, developers, users employed for optimal sizing and placement.
Lewis framework energy demand and for better understanding the effectiveness of
(2014) dispatchability for each each energy technologies for different end-
end-use. uses.

economics, and reliability (Adefarati and Bansal, 2019). However,
the optimization of these challenges reduces the disadvantages and
improves the reliability of the solar energy system. In turn, the
usage of better optimization of solar energy can assist to remedy
the uncertainty in production (Kroposki, 2017). There is a huge
investment in PV power technologies to improve efficiency and
enhance the economic feasibility. The PV solar cells are well known
in the electrical power generation by converting the solar radiation
into electricity by inducing the electrons to flow through semi-
conductors and obtain direct current (DC), as seen in Fig. 4. The
disadvantages of PV cells are the halt of electricity production at the
absence of solar radiation shining on to the panel and relatively low
efficiency (Jaloliddinova and Sultonov, 2019). This could lead to a
lack of matching the initial investments to make the system prof-
itable. Therefore, solar power storage systems have been consid-
ered as one of the solutions to overcome the absence of light and
flatten the power generation and demand curve. This technology
depends on batteries that are often bulky, large, heavy, taking up a
large space, and needs regular maintenance or even replacement
from time to time (Faisal et al., 2018). To sum up, the optimization
process in PV systems could take two main paths, which are the
optimization in operational parameters and technology

8
O.A. Al-Shahri, F.B. Ismail, M.A. Hannan et al. Journal of Cleaner Production 284 (2021) 125465

Table 2
Recent optimization methods for a photovoltaic solar system.

Ref. Method Objective Input Parameters Main results\contributions Future work\Gaps

function

Zagrebu Different Enhanced the Generated power Corresponds with a rise of 3e5% Implementation of efficient PV cooling, an additional solar panel can
(2004) cooling efficiency in overall efficiency be proposed to increase the temperature of the water outlet, thereby
techniques increasing the overall output.
Stritih PCM Enhanced the The surface temperature It is seen that an increase of Another set of data with different geographical locations (hot
(2016) Power of the PV almost 7.3% can be obtained by climates), can be done and compared as the future work
the PCM.
Moharram Water Enhanced the Maximum acceptable Minimize the amount of water The cooling system can be used for both sides of PV to minimize the
et al. spraying of Power temperature and electricity needed for the temperature speedily.
(2013) PV panels cooling of the PV
Smith et al. Integrated Enhanced the Forecasted ambient PCM-enhanced cooling is most The tracking system and more detailed regional data could be
(2014) (PCM) layer Yearly Power temperature, irradiance beneficial in regions with high explored to enhance the proposed method.
and wind speed insolation
Sawant PSO Optimization Maximum the The recommended technique The technique of optimization is reliable, precise, efficient, and
and of Peak PowerPoint (MPP) provides robustness, high resilient to address complex weather conditions and can be used to
Bhattar Power efficiency, and reliability solve related problems.
(2016)

efficiencies. Nowadays, the major parts of these systems are avail-
able at affordable prices compared to the year 2010 for example.
The substantial decrease in costs is caused by ongoing changes in
the technology, including higher PV conversion efficiency of PV
modules.
The PV cells produced for outside operation and its production
of electricity are affected by the surrounding weather condition like
temperature, direct sunlight, and dust (Kalogirou, 2004). A PV panel
may contain as many numbers of PV modules and the individual PV
cells are typically only a few inches in diameter. To generate more
power, multiple cells are interconnected into a module, and mul-
tiple modules are connected in the form of arrays. As such, a large
system is constructed. The optimizations in operational parameters
to enhance the efficiency of the solar PV systems are based on both
traditional and intelligent approaches.
Researchers are also exposed to the recent trending of intelli-
gent optimization in solar energy applications and relevant
research themes. As the target of optimization increases benefits
and reduces costs, it is important to understand the advantages and
disadvantages of the studied systems. In this regard, the re-
searchers have started to develop and propose methods and
models to maximize the advantages and minimize the disadvan-
tages. Many traditional optimization techniques, as well as modern
heuristic approaches are addressed greatly in many studies to
resolve the problems related to the design, operation, and process
of renewable systems. The development of most of the intelligent
methods is induced either by the collective behavior of the animal
colonies or by the intelligence mechanism of the biological or
physical processes. Moreover, intelligent approaches are rather
complex and slow. Recent developments in computation technol-
ogy allow the application of intelligent approaches and optimiza-
tion algorithms to apply to the solar energy field. The optimization
methods are mainly grouped as cost, size optimization, and control
strategies optimization (Kalogirou, 2013).
Precise and reliable performance information for PV systems is
important to accurately determine the power generated and ca-
pacity under the current operating conditions. This reliable data
helps to make the right decision in operations and control. On the
other side, the optimization and efficiency of the solar system could
be obtained through studying the various parameters that affect
the performance and exploring different steps that can be taken to
optimize the performance of the power plant (Verma and Singhal,
2015). The unstable power generation of solar systems is one of the
main drawbacks that has highlighted the urgent need for effective
solutions comprising a novel system design, and an efficient opti-
mization method. Optimizing the performance of solar energy
systems is a common approach used by both the researchers and
industry to increase the output power from the same renewable
energy inputs (Benghanem, 2011; Kazem et al., 2013). Different
optimizations techniques have been improved by using hybrids
methods aiming to solve many issues such as sizing and placement
of renewable sources. Recently, the mixed-integer, interval linear-

Fig. 4. Process of generating electricity by PV module.

9
O.A. Al-Shahri, F.B. Ismail, M.A. Hannan et al.
programming, quadratic programming, Lagrangian relaxation, and
Nelder-Mead optimization algorithms have been widely adopted by
many researchers aiming to improve the solar energy systems
performance technically and economically. However, these types of
optimization methods with perfect input information produce
idealistic results that contradict with the real behavior of RESs.
With the challenges in the of renewable energy resources as well as
the variation in the demands and economic parameters, the
traditional optimizations approaches could hardly cover the related
issues with the RESs (Al-Maamary et al., 2017; Gamarra and
Guerrero, 2015; Gooding et al., 2014; Vafaei and Kazerani, 2011;
Wood et al., 2013). This is because of the variability of the demand
over time and the uncertainty of power supply due to unexpected
interruptions of power sources. Moreover, the integration of
different types of energy sources, variability, and uncertainty in
RESs has increased. Thus, it is important to propose an analysis
system by applying accurate and high-resolution data. These pro-
posed analysis methods could give a reliable energy supply with
the minimum possible investment (Khan et al., 2018). Fig. 5 ex-
plains the different steps that are required to build and analyze the
optimization problem with accurate data.
Several optimizations techniques are used to cover these issues
including analytical, artificial intelligence (AI), and hybrid methods
(Hannan et al., 2018a) (Lipu et al., 2020a). In other words, the
growing number of research articles attempts to challenge these
issues by utilizing heuristic optimization approaches such as ge-
netic algorithms and PSO. Furthermore, several researchers have
used Pareto-optimization techniques to solve multi-objective
problems related to solar energy systems. In this regard, Refs
(Khan et al., 2018; Prakash and Khatod, 2016; Saba et al., 2015). are
recommended that more than two algorithms were better to be
hybridized to precisely limit a particular algorithm or technique.
The analysis for the most used AI methods in the last five years
among different methods in optimizations identified that PSO
technique was widely used technique because it delivered more
reliable, precise and efficient working conditions and would be
used for solving engineering issues and technical challenges in
solar energy systems (Abolhosseini et al., 2014; Roland et al., 2013).
Fig. 5. Process of building and model an optimization problem.
10
Journal of Cleaner Production 284 (2021) 125465
4.4. Solar system design challenges
The four fundamental components of the solar system are solar
cells, batteries, inverter, and load. The solar system components
must be chosen according to the size, cost, and applications. It is
important to analyze the system design with respect to energy
generation capacity, economic perspective, and reliability. The re-
searchers focus on optimizing the system design through the se-
lection of the proper components. Stritih (2016) considered surface
temperatures and PCM cooling system to increase the efficiency of
PV. The results indicated the performance accuracy was enhanced
by 14% by the PCM. Dufo-Lopez et al. (2016) and Zheng et al. (2018)
developed a stochastic-heuristic methodology considering solar
irradiation, temperature, wind speed to minimize the investment
and operational costs. Motaleb et al. (2016) employed solar power,
battery to design a stochastic methodology with a target to mini-
mize the cost of produced energy. Hashemi-Dezaki et al. (2015)
considered solar and wind power to minimize the loss of energy.
Dufo-Lo pez et al. (2016) minimized net present cost (NPC) by tak-
ing account load, solar irradiation. Other methods explained the
performance of the PV system through inexpensive reflective ma-
terials such as lenses or mirrors. Moreover, maximum power point
tracking (MPPT) is an advanced technique to maximize the pro-
duced power of the PV module and accordingly enhance the system
conversion efficiency (Abdul-adheem and Khafory, 2017). Within
the same working conditions, different PV modules cannot produce
the same output, so the modules must be carefully assembled in the
same system. The selection and design of the system included some
technical equipment such as batteries, chargers, electronic power
devices and cabling, which are essential to the operation and effi-
ciency of PV systems. Because the PV systems batteries are charged
and discharged very frequently, batteries with higher capacity are
recommended. There are also various kind of batteries, such as
flooded batteries, and valve-regulated batteries. Flooded batteries
need to have more maintenance, but they can live longer, while
valve-regulated batteries need fewer maintenance, but they have
low maintenance. The inverter is another essential element of the
solar system. There are several styles available, but not all suited to
PV systems. Where the PV inverter’s power conversion efficiency is
low, the power generated by the PV array cannot be effectively
streamed into the utility system. In order to enhance power quality,
it is very crucial to use well-designed circuit technologies to remove
the conductive and switching losses of semiconductor devices as
well as the power losses caused by the interconnection of cables. In
fact, many studies propose the efficiency enhancement of the PV
systems by maximizing the output power of the systems. In this
vein, several approaches are used to optimize the controlling factor
of performance by improving the efficiency of the PV cell via:
 Improving the quality of the core material to collect more
radiation.
 Integrating other renewable resources and optimizing the size
to increase economic feasibility.
 Controlling outdoor conditions like temperature, irradiation,
and dust to maximize output power.
A summary of recent optimization objectives in the solar energy
sector is mentioned in Table 3 along with the corresponding
literature.
5. Issues on solar energy optimization approaches
RESs can bring various technical improvement benefits to the
electrical power system such as stability of voltage profiles,
reduction in power losses and electricity prices tariff (Bayod-
O.A. Al-Shahri, F.B. Ismail, M.A. Hannan et al. Journal of Cleaner Production 284 (2021) 125465

Rújula, 2009). On the other hand, there exist barriers and chal-
lenges that can be divided into two categories; technical and non-
technical. Non-technical challenges include capital costs, economic
issues, market issues, public awareness, stakeholders, regulations,
and policies. The optimization approaches require important inputs
such as:
 Weather data: It is crucial to have accurate data for the main
parameters of the solar system, i.e. wind speed, ambient tem-
perature, dust, humidity, and sunlight, aiming to have a desir-
able optimization. However, obtaining such data on an hourly or
daily basis constitutes is one of the major challenges in opti-
mization even though prediction techniques like ANN.
 Load forecasting: The profile of a full load demand over one year
must be available to achieve the optimum PV device size.
 Models accuracy: It is very important to have an accurate model
for optimization. The model must take into consideration all the
influential parameters that affect the efficiency of the system.
 The variety of specification: In terms of the conversion effi-
ciency, having identical PV models is very difficult. There are
many PV brands available in the market and new improvements
in the producing process make this conversion efficiency for
identical models alike.
 Simplicity and applicability of proposed methods: Optimiza-
tion is desired to be simple and accurate results. This can be
obtained by combining two techniques like analytical methods
and AI technologies.
The primary components pretty widely were using to charac-
terize PV performance of the system are the peak power Pmax,
open-circuit voltage Voc, short-circuit current density Jsc, and the fill
factor (FF). Meral and Dincer (2011) highlighted the main factors
that could control the performance for the solar power generation
system, which can be summarized as three main parts as shown in
Fig. 7.
4.3. PV based hybrid system optimization challenges
The key weakness associated with the use of renewable energy
sources is their unpredictability and inability to operate efficiently
due to their intermittent and unaccepted changing nature, which
generally leads to over-sizing and increase capital costs. The
structures of the hybrid method have recently acquired a solid
reputation as an effective solution to overcome these concerns
(Hannan et al., 2020b). The objectives of HRES are to reduce the cost
of the system, reduce the capacity of energy storage, achieve better
efficiency, and higher reliability (Sinha and Chandel, 2014). The
usage of conventional optimization methods and up-to-date heu-
ristic approaches are intensively addressed in many studies to
resolve issues related to the design and operation processes of
HRES (Sinha and Chandel, 2015). The majority of optimization
techniques are formulated based on animal colonial behaviors or
the biological or physical intelligence mechanism (Hannan et al.,
2018b). Although data-driven optimization methods suffer from
complex computation and long training duration, the recent
powerful computer technology, large storage capacity, and
extremely faster processing speeds have addressed the computa-
tional complexity issues (Sulaiman et al., 2018) (Lipu et al., 2020b).
For instance, one of the optimization models used in hybrid sys-
tems calculates the optimal configuration of HRES based on
different combinations of individual generating systems (Othman
and Musirin, 2010). In addition, the authors studied the size opti-
mization and indicated that the off-grid hybrid systems including
PV and biomass systems could provide the most feasible solutions.
Khatib et al. (2013) proposed a methodology to support com-
plementing estimations between small hydro-power stations
(SHPS) and solar systems. The methodology was developed using
an optimization algorithm that combined hydrology with infor-
mation on solar radiation and recommended possible changes in
the system design that could increase their competence. In (Eren
et al., 2017), the optimal design of a PV-wind hybrid system was
utilized to improve the hybrid system based on a multi-objective

Table 3
Recent solar system design related to objective functions, parameters and methods.

Ref. Objective Influent Method Advantage Disadvantage Outcomes

function Parameters

Stritih Increasing Surface PCM Cooling It is seen that an increase of almost The effect of the temperature The results obtained show that with
(2016) the efficiency Temperatures System 14% can be obtained by the PCM. of the panel on the output constant irradiance, they have observed
of PV current and voltage seen at the effect of panel temperature on output
constant irradiance current and voltage.
(Dufo-Lopez Minimize the Solar Stochastic- As results of the different result It takes more time The deterministic optimization with low
et al., investment irradiation, heuristic variables, stochastic optimization computation time is suggested.
2016; and Temperature, methodology provides more information about the
Zheng operational wind speed expected performance
et al., costs
2018)
El Motaleb Minimize the Solar power, Stochastic Artificial intelligence-based Sizing and optimization of The hybridization of more than two
et al. cost of Battery methodology algorithms having lower solar PV are complex. optimization algorithms to determine
(2016) produced computation time, excellent the constraints or techniques is
energy, convergence, and better precision. recommended
Lopes and Minimize Wind speed, Combined of This method allows for a precise The amount of wind Represents the study with available
Borges LOLP, EPNS, River inflows Different RES estimation of the amount of energy generation is hypothetical and energy potential
(2014) LOLD and system supplied over a given period. does not reflect the capacity
LOLF available
Hashemi- Minimize loss Solar and Smart Grid Study of uncertainty parameters The introduced approach was Recommends to study for a large
Dezaki of energy Wind power under various charging scenarios. employed in a real network network
et al. with 20 kV.
(2015)
Dufo-Lopez Minimize net Load, Solar Monte Solar PV panels improve the supply Only irradiation and load Additional studies to focus on improving
et al. present cost irradiation of electrical energy. demand is considered as input product quality by adding more inputs
(2016) (NPC) are recommended.

11
O.A. Al-Shahri, F.B. Ismail, M.A. Hannan et al.
Fig. 6. Challenge and barriers of optimization approaches.
Fig. 7. Factors that control the Performance of PV system.
genetic algorithm. The optimization approaches used different
methods like stochastic process, intuitive method, deterministic
process, and numerical process. In this paper, 38 research papers
were reviewed, in which approximately 26% used a stochastic
process, while 74% of the conducted work was carried out through
the deterministic process. The stochastic process was employed to
address solar energy uncertainty including the hourly solar energy
series. Reliable energy supply with the lowest investment could be
achieved by the proposed analysis. The idea was aimed to find the
best solution to increase or enhance the efficiency of the adopted
renewable system. These results could be achieved by optimizing
the influential parameters of the system. On the other hand, there
were challenges and barriers that could be divided into two cate-
gories including technical and non-technical, as shown in Fig. 6.
5.1. Issues on types of solar cells
The main objective of the solar cell is to absorb the photons and
convert the lights to electricity. The manufacturing of absorbing
solar cells plays an indispensable thing in the optimization of
challenges in the technologies for the solar system. Several kinds of
12
Journal of Cleaner Production 284 (2021) 125465
PV cells, such as monocrystalline, multi-crystalline, multi-junction
crystalline, and concentration cells, are available today. The pri-
mary benefit of mono-crystalline cells is their high performance,
but the production of mono-crystalline silicon needs a more
complicated process which makes it more costly and less
economically needed. Multi-crystalline cells are cheaper and
slightly less efficient compared to mono-crystalline types as it re-
quires a simpler manufacturing process. Furthermore, Dhass et al.
(2016) analyzed the performance of different PV cell components
such as mono-crystalline (m-Si), poly-crystalline (pSi) and black
solar cells. The m-Si module has illustrated highly temperature-
sensitive for shunt resistance measurement. Those changes
decrease exponentially as temperature increases. A PV cell with
single-material only has an efficiency of around 15%. Multi-junction
cells with different bandgaps can then be used to improve the ef-
ficiency of this cell to 40 percent, but this technology is complex,
more expensive, and reduces economic feasibility compared to
conventional PV modules (Dhass et al., 2016; Jain et al., 2006).
Different optimization approaches are used for different types of
solar cells. For instance, the flower pollination optimization algo-
rithm (FPOA) was employed to extract the features for different cell
types and then compared with the evolution strategy and PSO in
(Chellaswamy et al., 2019). The results showed that the triple diode
type including FPOA provided superior performance than the
double and single diode model. However, the parameter extraction
is still a challenge to be enhanced. A hybrid optimization method
using GA-PSO was used to reduce the error value for the unknown
parameters of the double-diode solar cell (Nazerian and Babaei,
2017). The best performance was obtained with a root mean
square error (RMSE) equivalent to 2.02. The study reported that
achieving a reasonable RMSE was still a challenge due to the
different types of cells. Moreover, efficiency is another significant
performance indicator which may change due to the different types
and structure of cells. Therefore, an attempt to optimize cell designs
was made in (Nishioka et al., 2006) focusing on cell current and
series resistance to achieve high-efficiency concentrator cells.
5.2. Issues on outdoor conditions of solar on parameters
Different outdoor conditions affect the output power generated
from the PV power system, such as irradiance, temperature, hu-
midity, and dust. Each of these factors is variable with time and
importance. In fact, these outdoor conditions cannot be controlled
directly but their effects can be minimized. Therefore, it is impor-
tant to study the effect of the outdoor condition on efficiency and
suggest appropriate solutions to optimize system efficiency. The
two major parameters which demonstrate the difference in PV
cell’s output power are the short circuit current and open-circuit
O.A. Al-Shahri, F.B. Ismail, M.A. Hannan et al.
voltage. A rise in ambient temperature causes the voltage of the
open circuit to decrease, and the current of the short circuit to in-
crease slightly, leading to a drop in efficiency. The effects of the
temperature on the efficiency of solar cells using MATLAB was
studied (Nair et al., 2016). The simulation result showed that when
temperature increased, the reverse saturation current increased
and Voc decreased, which dropped the fill factor, accordingly
decreased the output of the solar cell. At the same time, a decrease
in bandgap resulted in an increase in Jsc which acted to improve the
efficiency of the cell. Therefore, the fluctuation of Voc and Jsc
resulted in a decrease in the efficiency of the solar system. The
analysis was carried out by Chander et al. (2015) which proved that
the temperature was an important factor that affected the perfor-
mance of the photovoltaic cells. The maximum produced power
reduced by almost 0.47% for each one-degree celsius increase after
the surface temperature increased higher than 25
C (Majid et al.,
2014).
Al-Showany (2016) analyzed the effect of certain operating
conditions such as the ambient temperature and dust on the per-
formance of two identical PV cells in terms of the produced voltage
and output electrical power. The author adopted a water-cooling
strategy to decrease the PV cell temperature and increase solar
irradiance penetration. According to many studies, the most sig-
nificant parameter to influence the performance of PV cell is the
temperature (Tobnaghi et al., 2013). Consequently, an efficient so-
lution to increase the performance of a PV module is achieved by
decreasing its surface operating temperature. This can be accom-
plished by refrigerating the module and decreasing the heat stored
in the PV cells during the operation of the device. Another
considerable factor is dust that can block some of the sunlight, and
lessen the efficiency of the PV system (Furkan and Mehmet Emin,
2010). The authors developed a schedule for the identification,
maintenance and cleaning cycle for PV systems aiming to maximize
the PV system performance.
5.3. Issues on solar energy efficiency enhancement
There are several approaches to enhance the energy efficiency of
PV solar systems. Considering the generated output power as a
measuring stick, three main key parameters are focused by many
researchers, which can be listed and detailed as follows:
 The MPPT is the best operational parameters to reach the peak
output power of an individual PV module. In this regard, many
optimization methods have been used to achieve the global
maximum power point of the PV modules based on weather
conditions including ant colony optimization algorithm (Titri
et al., 2017), artificial unreal network (ANN), PSO, the fuzzy
logic controller (FLC), grey wolf optimization (GWO), GA, and
firefly optimization algorithm (FOA) which are compared and
reviewed in (Seyedmahmoudian et al., 2016).
 The manufacturing of better solar cells with novel modifications
to enhance the efficiency of conversion of the solar cells to
collect more radiation is a challenge for both the researchers and
manufacturers (Day et al., 2019)
 The optimization of the effective parameters to improve the
performance by using external ways or methods like cooling
and energy storage.
5.4. Issues on the maximization of power point tracking
The key challenge of MPPT is to handle the environmental
change and then get the maximum available power based on the
weather conditions. From this point of view, the operation factors
13
Journal of Cleaner Production 284 (2021) 125465
like solar irradiance and temperatures that control how much en-
ergy is produced from solar cells are varying with time. For
example, the solar irradiation that hit the solar cell changes with
time, location, and season. From theses considerations, there is a
necessity to identify the instant of the maximum power point on
the voltage-current (VeI) curve of the solar system to gain more
generated power. Researchers have conducted many studies and
proposed different methods of MPPT to improve the performance
of the solar system. The design of MPPT should be evaluated based
on speed, accuracy, complexity and dynamic response which are
the optimization challenges in MPPT (Sreedhar and Jagadeesh,
2016). For instance, the assurance of the maximum power ob-
tained from the PV modules based on environmental conditions is a
challenge that various optimization methods were used to mitigate
it. The study in (Seyedmahmoudian et al., 2016) reviewed and
compared state-of-art optimization algorithm used for MPPT ap-
plications such as Cuckoo search method (CS), ANN, PSO, FLC, GWO,
GA, and FOA.
Perturbation, observation, and incremental conductance are the
simple methods that are used by many researchers, however, these
approaches have poor traceability and low efficiency (Pakkiraiah
and Sukumar, 2016). To overcome the poor performance, compu-
tational methods like FLC and ANN techniques have been used
nowadays. One of the latest studies proposes a model that tracks
the global maximum power point (GMPP) in a very short time using
PSO under irradiance (Obukhov et al., 2018). In addition, the MPPT
can be controlled by neural network algorithms as proposed by
Abdul-adheem and Khafory (2017). The model provided an effec-
tive mechanism for array mounting and tracking that shifted or
placed the solar array to absorb extended solar radiance for opti-
mum power output. To get an accurate MPPT, recent mathematical
algorithms such as Z-infinity algorithms under time-varying signals
were suggested (Pakkiraiah and Sukumar, 2016).
5.5. Issues on solar energy conversion
A solar PV system is designed using solar cells, inverters, and
solar charge controller. A better manufacturing strategy of solar
cells with novel medications could improve the conversion effi-
ciency by collecting more radiation. For optimal performance, the
main components of the inverter such as power switches and
magnetic components should be selected appropriately (Aribisala,
2013). The solar charge controller or DC controller can improve
the efficiency of the system using filters (Guangqian et al., 2014;
Sharma and Suhag, 2017). Filter circuits are used to decrease the
harmonic content from DC-DC converter output. Passive filters like
LC, LCL, and LLCC are used to eliminate the harmonic distortions as
well as to improve the power quality. In addition, the filter capac-
itors are used to reduce high-frequency current ripples. The
modified DC controller is fed to the inverters to convert from DC to
AC with various pulse width modulation (PWM) techniques. PWM
techniques produce a better AC output that can be connected to the
grid. The design of microcontroller-based PWM-controlled DC-DC
converter for battery charging can improve efficiency too (Abdul-
Adhem, 2012). The inherent control algorithm of the PWM maxi-
mizes the energy transferred to the battery bank and thus increases
its battery lifetime (Lipu et al., 2018) (Hannan et al.,
2020c).Moreover, inverters play a major role, so proper mainte-
nance of their functionality is of utmost importance, as the user
may not receive any service even though there is PV system power
generation (Hannan et al., 2019b). To achieve an efficient solar
power system, it must start from the solar cell module and selection
of phase. This mechanism transforms the energy of the photons
into electricity. The impacted photons on the PV cell increase their
energy level and create the circuit’s potential difference and
O.A. Al-Shahri, F.B. Ismail, M.A. Hannan et al.
produce voltage to operate the circuit. Semiconductor materials
such as silicon (Si) is commonly used in the production of PV cells.
The silicon nanowires (SiNW) plays a critical role in enhancing the
solar cell efficiency, as the length increase in SiNW improves the
anti-reflection property (Sahoo and Kale, 2019). Meanwhile, multi-
crystalline two-step thermal oxidation can reduce surface recom-
bination of the carrier and improve cell efficiency (Liao et al., 2017).
This layer increases light absorption by 4.1 percent in the spectral
spectrum. As a result, the overall efficiency of the solar cell im-
proves. In addition, the development of PV modules which absorb a
specific wavelength of sunlight from solar radiation can enhance
the efficiency (Huang et al., 2013). Zhang and Toudert (2018)
summarized many approaches that were used to improve the
performance of solar cells including optical management. These
approaches may be listed as follows.
 Use of antireflective coatings at the cell’s glass interface.
 Tuning of the cell’s vertical configuration.
 Integration of plasma or dielectric nanostructures into different
cell layers.
 Structure of the internal interfaces of the cell at the wavelength
scale.
The minimization of the losses of the energy due to the spectral
mismatch between the incident solar spectrum and the solar cell
has been considered the main challenge in designing solar cell
devices.
5.6. Issues on solar parameters cooling
This section discusses some of the effective ways to optimize
external parameters and enhance the performance of PV systems
using external methods such as a cooling system for PV modules.
The increase in electrical efficiency of the solar cell highly depends
on the involved cooling techniques, type of the cell, size of the
module as well as the geography. Many cooling techniques were
examined and compared by Liao et al. (2017). The active cooling
methods have been shown to have higher efficiency than passive
ones. To reduce costs, passive cooling is desired to replace active
cooling.
The cooling technologies such as heat pipe cooling, thermo-
electric cooling, hydraulic cooling, natural and forced air cooling,
and cooling with phase change materials in the solar system could
play an important role in maximizing the efficiency of the solar
photovoltaic cells and also to control the operating temperature
(Hasanuzzaman et al., 2016; Maiti et al., 2011). Because of its higher
energy density per unit volume, the cooling with phase change
materials is an attractive and efficient strategy for photovoltaic cells
from the above-discussed methods (Shukla et al., 2017). The latest
investigation in the enhancement of solar cells approved that the
used thermal cooling layer could significantly improve the working
efficiency of the cell with a simple cost (Kumar et al., 2018). This
paper reported that a carbon-based porous thermal cooling layer
acted as a heat-dissipating media in the PV cell and increased the
Voc from 0.52 V to 0.56 V. Practically, the cooling layer can reduce
the surface temperature of solar cells during summer to make the
solar cells work with its higher efficiency even in extremely hot
season’s weather. Furthermore, to improve the efficiency of the
solar photovoltaic panels and reduce temperature losses, optical
filters could be also used to reduce reflection losses (Kumar et al.,
2018). This cooling system incorporates water as a coolant to
reduce temperature losses and enhance efficiency. Huang et al.
(2006) presented the procedures to increase the electrical effi-
ciency and power output of solar PV by using a phase change ma-
terial (PCM). The results of the simulation showed that the
14
Journal of Cleaner Production 284 (2021) 125465
electricity production of the PV-PCM panel was greater by about
7.3% during a testing period of one year.
It was reported that the efficiency of the PV-PCM module can be
enhanced by increasing the heat transfer between the PCM and the
aluminum plate (Huang et al., 2004, 2006, 2011). The developing
PV, solar thermal (ST), and PCM systems could absorb the heat from
the PV panel and then discharge that PCM stored heat to provide
building heat services. Tang et al. (2010) proposed an air-cooling
and even water-cooling condition as natural convection heat
transfer system aiming to enhance the performance of the PV
system. Experimental results confirmed that the use of both water
and air cooling in the PV system could improve efficiency by about
13% at 35
C, which might also be extended to hot areas. It was
pointed out by Li et al. (2005) that the efficiency of a PV system is a
function of operating parameters like temperature, received solar
energy, and the flowing mass of air. Hybrid systems that involve a
composition of the two methods like mirrors to collect more ra-
diation and cooling can be used to enhance the efficiency of the
solar panel. The proposed mechanism is cheap, simple, and easy to
handle. The power generated by the enhanced system was
increased by 52% if both cooling techniques and mirrors were used
as concluded by Arshad et al. (2014). The specific experiment in the
reference was carried out for a small system and a short period.
However, it could be extended and applied to long periods, and it
may involve a smart technology to stop/run the system in the early
morning and before the sunset for example.
6. Future directions for solar performance enhancement
This review provides some effective suggestions for future
research works which are highlighted below,
i. The hybridization of optimization techniques is designed by
combining two or three optimization algorithms to achieve optimal
sizing and placement of solar energy. The hybrid optimization helps
to search for the best results from many variables and uncertainties
and thus increase efficiency. However, the proper combination of
hybrid optimization is a challenging and laborious task and might
lead to computational burden and inefficacy if the combination is
not right. Hence, further studies should be conducted on hybrid
optimization techniques to address complexity, challenges, and
achieve high efficiency in solar PV systems.
ii. The performance and efficiency of solar PV vary according to
types of cells. The mono-crystalline solar cells feature high energy
efficiency, but it has a complex manufacturing process. The multi-
crystalline solar cells are cost-effective but suffer from low effi-
ciency in comparison to mono-crystalline solar cells. Although
multi-junction cells with different bandgaps are employed to
enhance efficiency, this mechanism is complex and offers a high
price. Thus, further examinations are required for optimization
techniques using different types of solar cells.
ii. Usually, the solar cell is manufactured by Si-based materials.
The main goal of Si-solar cell is to achieve acceptable performance
at a low cost. Nonetheless, Si has drawbacks of material quality and
quantity. Researchers have shown that silicon nanowires (SiNWs)
made from Si, can overcome these problems. SiNWs exhibit better
electronic, optical, and physical properties as well as better
controllable tuning of the physical dimensions. Also, SiNWs show a
natural capability to be used in radial or coaxial p-n junction solar
cells to enhance the carrier collection. However, there are major
challenges that could hamper the availability of SiNWs commer-
cially. Such challenges involve surface and interface growth, with
an increase in cell surface area. Additionally, the growth of SiNWs
arrays with a uniform diameter is still an issue. Hence, further
exploration is required on solar PV material selection.
iv. It is worth mentioning that the optimization of the PV system
O.A. Al-Shahri, F.B. Ismail, M.A. Hannan et al.
is closely related to meteorological variables such as solar irradia-
tion, temperature, and wind speed. The most influential parameter
that could affect the electrical properties of solar cells, as well as PV
cell’s output power, is the temperature. An increase in temperature
results in a decrease in voltage and an increase in short circuit
current leading to a reduction in fill factor, output power and effi-
ciency. So, there should be a right balance between solar PV surface
operating temperature and solar irradiance penetration. Another
issue is the dust which could block some of the sunlight leading to a
decrease in efficiency. Therefore, an in-depth investigation is
required to explore the performance of the optimization methods
under different outdoor conditions.
v. MPPT aims to extract the maximum power from solar PV
module under the varying environments and weather conditions.
However, the execution of MPPT is challenging since the intensity
of solar radiation varies according to time, location, and season. To
address these concerns, MPPT systems are optimized aiming to
achieve high accuracy, speed, and dynamic response. However, the
optimization of MPPT under changing environmental settings
could be complex and thus needs advanced and robust computa-
tion techniques. Hence, an advanced solar energy system with the
optimization of MPPT needs further exploration.
vi. The conversion of solar energy is executed using an inverter
with magnetic components and switches. Nevertheless, the
inverter exhibits high current stress, high switching loss and slow
dynamic response. Besides, the solar charge controller is designed
using various filter capacitors. However, the filter offers high har-
monic contents and high-frequency current ripples. Moreover, the
conversion from DC to AC as well as the efficient charging operation
of the battery depends on the PWM-controlled converter. Thus,
further studies are required on the inverter design and control al-
gorithm of PWM to improve the power quality and maximize the
energy transferred to the battery bank.
vii. The multi-objective function is crucial to design a robust
optimization technique in solar energy applications. However, the
formulation of a multi-objective function under many parameters
and constraints is not a straight-forward task. Generally, the target
of solar energy optimization is to find the optimal solutions in cost,
size, load, demand, power and efficiency. Thus, a multi-objective
function is essential to meet these targets simultaneously. How-
ever, it is challenging to obtain two or three optimal self-
contradictory objectives simultaneously. For instance, there is less
possibility that cost and efficiency will be optimized together.
Hence, careful attention is required on the formulation of the multi-
objective function.
vii. The Internet of Things (IoT) technologies can be used to
enhance the performance of the solar power generation and
maintain the solar power plant. The application of adaptive IoT
techniques such as auto cooling, self-cleaning, defect detection, and
tracking mechanisms could be an effective tool in improving per-
formance. The solar energy information related to temperature,
irradiation, dust, peak power, short-circuit current density, and
open-circuit voltage can be monitored and saved in the cloud
storage. Subsequently, the monitoring and control center will
execute data preprocessing, conduct the analysis and provide
useful decisions for future performance enhancement.
7. Conclusion
In recent years, numerous investigations and development have
been performed on the optimization of solar energy. However, the
execution of solar energy optimization has been a concern due to
the unpredictable nature of solar energy, solar PV material, design,
and complex computation of optimization problems. Therefore,
this review comprehensively examines solar energy optimization
15
Journal of Cleaner Production 284 (2021) 125465
focusing on optimization approaches, challenges and issues. As a
first contribution, the recent and prominent optimization tech-
niques in hybrid PV and solar PV are explored concerning objective
functions, input features, operational constraints and key contri-
butions. The study finds that intelligent optimization methods are
found to be more suitable than conventional ones because of their
ability to scan local and global optima, strong calculation and
appropriate speed. The optimization algorithms have demon-
strated excellent outcomes in solar PV applications with regard to
sizing, load demand and power generation. Besides, the optimiza-
tions help to reduce the operational cost, power losses, as well as
achieve better integration and controllability of peak power. As a
second contribution, the review has discussed the key challenges of
solar PV optimization highlighting complex computation, objective
function problems and algorithm integration. Besides, the study
has explained the challenges relating to cost, sizing, design,
placement, power quality and energy loss. As a third contribution,
the review identifies the various issues emphasizing types of solar
cells, environmental conditions and energy efficiency. Furthermore,
this review dives deep to explore the MPPT approach, energy
conversion and parameters cooling. As a fourth contribution, the
study has provided future opportunities and directions to design a
robust and efficient intelligent optimization algorithm toward the
development of an advanced optimized solar PV energy system.
Several future suggestions are outlined concerning solar cell ma-
terial, modeling, hybridization, execution complexity, MPPT, multi-
objective formulation and energy conversion.
In summary, the critical analysis achieved from this review
would provide an explicit idea and information to the researchers
in developing and executing an advanced optimization technique
in solar PV applications. In line with this, broad information on
solar PV optimization challenges, issues and related effective sug-
gestions to overcome the limitations could play remarkable solu-
tions of various solar PV energy optimization problems. Thus,
further research works on solar PV optimization will not only
elevate solar energy performance but also ensure a cost-effective
energy supply resulting in substantial growth in capacity and
generation of solar PV in the future. The deployment of advanced
optimization in solar PV can help to achieve a pathway for sus-
tainable development relating to clean energy, emission reduction
and economic development.
Declaration of competing interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing
financial interests or personal relationships that could have
appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Acknowledgment
This work was funded by the Ministry of Higher Education,
Malaysia under Universiti Tenaga Nasional, project code
20190101LRGS and in part by the Universiti Tenaga Nasional,
Malaysia, under Grant 10436494/B/2019093.
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