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Experimental investigation of soiling impact on PV module performance in Yanbu Al Sinaiyah, Saudi Arabia

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  • AlZahrani, Khaled S.

Abstract

For many years, photovoltaic (PV) modules have seen widespread use as one of the most effective solutions to meet the growing demand for clean energy. However, compared with other power generation technologies, PV modules still face operational challenges, especially in industrial cities and the harsh environmental conditions of arid coastal regions. This study examines the effects of dust, sand grains and soiling characterisation on the efficiency of PV modules under different environmental conditions. The researcher used PV modules of two different technologies (Mono-Si and Poly-Si), two different tilt angles (10° and 24°), and two different surface conditions (clean and soiled) for their experiments. The study was conducted over a period of two years in Yanbu, an industrial city on the western coast of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It was the first study of its kind in this city. The main findings indicate that the more the PV module was able to capture solar radiation, the less it resisted soiling effect. The mono-Si module outperformed the poly-Si module by 13.7% on average for both clean and soiled modules over the period of the study. However, the losses in power output due to the impact of soiling on the poly-Si modules were less on average by 11% when compared to the mono-Si modules. The overall average power losses for both mono-Si and poly-Si modules were lower by around 40% when installed at the 24° tilt angle. The study of dust particles' morphology and chemical compositions, along with the collected environmental data, confirmed that the dust-induced shade effect could contribute to the soiling impact on PV modules.

Suggested Citation

  • AlZahrani, Khaled S., 2023. "Experimental investigation of soiling impact on PV module performance in Yanbu Al Sinaiyah, Saudi Arabia," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 216(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:216:y:2023:i:c:s0960148123010315
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2023.119117
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kaddoura, Tarek O. & Ramli, Makbul A.M. & Al-Turki, Yusuf A., 2016. "On the estimation of the optimum tilt angle of PV panel in Saudi Arabia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 626-634.
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    3. Hassan Z. Al Garni, 2022. "The Impact of Soiling on PV Module Performance in Saudi Arabia," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-25, October.
    4. Hepbasli, Arif & Alsuhaibani, Zeyad, 2011. "A key review on present status and future directions of solar energy studies and applications in Saudi Arabia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(9), pages 5021-5050.
    5. Jafarkazemi, Farzad & Saadabadi, S. Ali, 2013. "Optimum tilt angle and orientation of solar surfaces in Abu Dhabi, UAE," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 44-49.
    6. Mekhilef, S. & Saidur, R. & Kamalisarvestani, M., 2012. "Effect of dust, humidity and air velocity on efficiency of photovoltaic cells," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(5), pages 2920-2925.
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    Cited by:

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