# Italian researchers identify 0.5-meter row spacing as optimal for floating PV cooling in simulations

- Published: 2026-11-07 08:08 UTC
- Section: Power & Energy › Energy
- Tags: floating solar arrays, computational fluid dynamics, PV module cooling, Occhito Dam, solar row spacing
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-e0105142f8fee459e7e75a94_italian_researchers_identify/

**A numerical CFD study shows that intermediate row spacing lowers floating solar module temperatures by balancing wake recovery and airflow acceleration.**

![Italian researchers identify 0.5-meter row spacing as optimal for floating PV cooling in simulations](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/34e72983e04267a1.jpg)
*pv-magazine.com*

Scientists from the University of Naples Parthenope and the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli found that spacing floating solar module rows approximately 0.5 meters apart delivers the best cooling performance in a three-row setup, pv-magazine.com reported. The team simulated a proposed floating photovoltaic (PV) system at the Occhito Dam reservoir in southern Italy using a two-dimensional conjugate heat transfer model. At an incoming wind speed of 3.5 m/s, the 0.5-meter configuration yielded an average module temperature of 27.16 C, whereas the most compact layout reached 31.07 C [1]. Under weaker wind speeds of 1.5 m/s, the same setup maintained an average temperature of 37.02 C compared to 37.74 C in the widest setup [1].

## Aerodynamic balance and wake effects

The study evaluated four row-spacing ratios: 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 times the module length of 0.99 meters, with modules tilted at 15 degrees and mounted 25 cm above water [1]. While wider spacing allows aerodynamic wakes to dissipate, excessive gaps weaken the airflow acceleration occurring between rows. At 3.5 m/s wind speed, airflow velocity between rows reached 2.5 m/s to 3.0 m/s for the intermediate 0.5-meter spacing, compared with 1.0 m/s to 1.5 m/s in the most compact layout [1]. The middle row showed the highest sensitivity to layout changes: at 3.5 m/s, its temperature dropped to 23.30 C with 0.5-meter spacing, but reached 29.66 C in the compact arrangement and 30.17 C in the widest layout [1].

## Model parameters and limitations

The numerical model incorporated hourly ERA5 reanalysis data for 2024 with an annual average air temperature of 15.37 C, water temperature of 14.67 C, and a net shortwave radiation flux of 146.65 W/m² [1]. Standard crystalline silicon modules typically experience an efficiency loss of 0.3% to 0.5% per 1 C rise in cell temperature [1]. The authors emphasized that their findings reflect a two-dimensional domain with three rows and fixed wind directions, excluding full 3D turbulence, structural float geometry, shading, and annual yield modeling [1].

## Sources

1. [pv-magazine.com](https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/11/07/study-finds-0-5-meter-spacing-between-solar-module-rows-improves-cooling-in-floating-pv-systems)

---

Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-e0105142f8fee459e7e75a94_italian_researchers_identify/