Recent development and performance evaluation of integrated solar dryer and photovoltaic panel: A comprehensive review

• Introduces the solar dryers-integrated PV panels as a sustainable technique for drying agricultural products and preserving food quality. • Assesses efficiency of different kinds of solar dryers integrated to PV technology —direct, indirect, and hybrid systems towards improvement of drying competence. • Temperature, airflow, and humidity effectively impact the performance of solar dryers-integrated PV panel systems. • Further enhancements are assured for solar dryers-integrated PV panel systems using phase change materials and heat recovery systems. • Integrated solar technologies are essential to reduce post-harvest losses, specifically in off-grid agricultural communities. This review paper examines the integration of solar dryers with photovoltaic (PV) panels, offering a sustainable and energy-efficient solution for drying agricultural products and preserving food quality. Various kinds of solar dryers including direct, indirect, and hybrid systems are examined while evaluating their performance when integrated to PV panels. PV panels can enhance the efficiency and reliability of solar dryers, especially in remote or off-grid areas, by providing a steady power source for auxiliary systems like fans, sensors, and controllers. Key factors influencing performance, such as temperature, airflow, and humidity, are analysed, alongside advancements in materials and technologies that improve dryer efficiency, comprising phase change materials (PCMs) and heat recovery systems. The results show that an increase in the number of PV collectors can improve thermal energy output from 2.63 to 7.70 kWh/day and electrical energy from 0.23 to 20 kWh/day. Also, the drying time can be reduced by 16.6% to 36.6% using the sun-tracking systems. Specifically, neem leaves assure the reduction of moisture content from 4.56% to 0.07% (dry basis). Finally, the thermal efficiency can be ranged between 43.75% to 54.86% as a consequence to using the hybrid solar dryers. Accordingly, the widespread deployment of such integrated solar technologies is a critical strategy for enhancing food security by drastically reducing post-harvest losses, while simultaneously advancing the objectives of SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), particularly in off-grid agricultural communities.