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Item Photovoltaic panel array configuration optimization to reduce lift force by using CFD and genetic algorithm(UMT, Lahore, 2021) Asfand Yar KhanOne of the most important aspects while considering a PV plant is its levelized cost of energy production (LCOE). Structures and anchor mechanisms constitute of a significant amount of Capital expenditure. Aerodynamic lift force acting on the solar structure is important while designing the counterweight for roof top mounted solar systems. Moreover, pre-fabricated roofs installed in most industrial facilities and not load bearing and do not allow anchors into the roof. So the counterweight placed on top of these roofs must be reduced to make the rooftop installation viable. Due to their unique configuration, the load estimated for solar structures using international building codes can be either higher or lower than actual. CFD simulations are proven to be an efficient tool for estimation of wind loads on solar panels for design purposes and identification of critical design cases. CFD simulations usually require high computation power and slight changes in geometry to find optimum configuration can be time consuming. This research combines Genetic Algorithm’s with CFD to optimize the solar PV array configurations against the effect of wind. Design parameters considered in this research include are Pitch between two PV panel rows and Tilt angle of each row. Only combinations with above 80% performance ratio were carried forward for fitness assessment. Three different Rooftop PV plant layout configurations are analyzed in this research. Two rows of PV panel arrays are considered for optimization in 2D domain using ANSYS Fluent. Results show that the difference of wind lift force between optimized configuration against that with maximum lift force configuration for all the three cases is above fifty percentItem Thermal impact analysis of photovoltaic solar panels on climate change(UMT, Lahore, 2021) Zulqarnain RiazProduction of electricity from photovoltaic solar panels has burgeoned in recent years, as the total global capacity reached 306GW in 2016, and still growing with a massive rate of 50% [1, 2]. The development of solar power plant is wide spread across a range of diverse ecosystems and locations, ranging from deserts in California, to forests in England, to tropical regions. Yet the environmental impacts of such facilities have not been comprehensively addressed in the current literature. Solar parks may have consequences for several environmental changes, and the deployment of PV solar panels on a wide scale has faced potential negative environmental implications, yet there has been very little research effort to quantify the impacts on local climate. It is uncertain that whether the PV solar power plants have potential to create heat Island effect or their presence is unnoticeable. The physical presence of solar parks will impact solar radiation fluxes and thus temperature. Prior studies and work on the photovoltaic heat Island effect has been mostly theoretical and their scope is limited to only a single biome. I aimed my scope of study on two crucial parameters of the atmosphere i.e. temperature and humidity, (the humidity is calculated for only site No. 1 as Karachi is a coastal city). The sensors were installed under the solar panel for site 1 and site 2 and over the solar panel for site 3. From the results, I found that the daily minimum and maximum temperatures were significantly warmer and cooler respectively, when compared with the result of reference point without solar panels. The rise in the temperature at night was found at all three (03) sites, which shows that the solar panels acts as black body and absorbs solar radiations at day time and release the same at night creating the PV heat island effect. Hence it is concluded, the deployment of PV solar plants alters the process of reflection of the incoming solar energy into the atmosphere. PV solar plants reduce albedo due to which landscape becomes darker and less reflective. Photovoltaic renewable energy has given rise to the concerns about the engendered rise of heat Island effect.