IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v65y2016icp1267-1278.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Dust as an unalterable deteriorative factor affecting PV panel's efficiency: Why and how

Author

Listed:
  • Zaihidee, Fardila Mohd
  • Mekhilef, Saad
  • Seyedmahmoudian, Mehdi
  • Horan, Ben

Abstract

Electricity generation from solar energy has a great potential since it relies mainly on an abundant and clean source. However, there are many alterable and unalterable factors that can govern a PV module's efficiency. Dust is one of the location-dependent environmental factors that falls under the unalterable factors group. It can degrade the efficiency of a PV panel by causing physical damages, by attenuating the incoming solar radiation and by causing temperature rise, which results in changes in panel's electrical characteristics. Degree of degradation depends mainly on the deposition density, which is governed by various factors. Dust accumulation of 20g/m2 on a PV panel reduces short circuit current, open circuit voltage and efficiency by 15–21%, 2–6% and 15–35% respectively. This work reviews, elaborates and summarizes the effects of dust on solar panel efficiency and the factors governing dust deposition on PV panel.

Suggested Citation

  • Zaihidee, Fardila Mohd & Mekhilef, Saad & Seyedmahmoudian, Mehdi & Horan, Ben, 2016. "Dust as an unalterable deteriorative factor affecting PV panel's efficiency: Why and how," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 1267-1278.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:65:y:2016:i:c:p:1267-1278
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2016.06.068
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032116303021
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rser.2016.06.068?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wolf Grossmann & Karl Steininger & Christoph Schmid & Iris Grossmann, 2012. "Investment and employment from large-scale photovoltaics up to 2050," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 39(2), pages 165-189, May.
    2. Kaldellis, J.K. & Fragos, P. & Kapsali, M., 2011. "Systematic experimental study of the pollution deposition impact on the energy yield of photovoltaic installations," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(10), pages 2717-2724.
    3. Lamont, Lisa A. & El Chaar, Lana, 2011. "Enhancement of a stand-alone photovoltaic system’s performance: Reduction of soft and hard shading," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 1306-1310.
    4. Kaldellis, J.K. & Kokala, A., 2010. "Quantifying the decrease of the photovoltaic panels’ energy yield due to phenomena of natural air pollution disposal," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(12), pages 4862-4869.
    5. Asl-Soleimani, E & Farhangi, S & Zabihi, M.S, 2001. "The effect of tilt angle, air pollution on performance of photovoltaic systems in Tehran," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 459-468.
    6. Amin, Nowshad & Lung, Chin Wen & Sopian, Kamaruzzaman, 2009. "A practical field study of various solar cells on their performance in Malaysia," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(8), pages 1939-1946.
    7. Kaldellis, J.K. & Kapsali, M., 2011. "Simulating the dust effect on the energy performance of photovoltaic generators based on experimental measurements," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(8), pages 5154-5161.
    8. Beattie, Neil S. & Moir, Robert S. & Chacko, Charlslee & Buffoni, Giorgio & Roberts, Simon H. & Pearsall, Nicola M., 2012. "Understanding the effects of sand and dust accumulation on photovoltaic modules," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 448-452.
    9. Mani, Monto & Pillai, Rohit, 2010. "Impact of dust on solar photovoltaic (PV) performance: Research status, challenges and recommendations," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(9), pages 3124-3131, December.
    10. Hegazy, Adel A, 2001. "Effect of dust accumulation on solar transmittance through glass covers of plate-type collectors," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 525-540.
    11. Mekhilef, S. & Saidur, R. & Safari, A., 2011. "A review on solar energy use in industries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(4), pages 1777-1790, May.
    12. 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.
    13. El-Shobokshy, Mohammad S. & Hussein, Fahmy M., 1993. "Degradation of photovoltaic cell performance due to dust deposition on to its surface," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 3(6), pages 585-590.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Klugmann-Radziemska, Ewa, 2015. "Degradation of electrical performance of a crystalline photovoltaic module due to dust deposition in northern Poland," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 418-426.
    2. Darwish, Zeki Ahmed & Kazem, Hussein A. & Sopian, K. & Al-Goul, M.A. & Alawadhi, Hussain, 2015. "Effect of dust pollutant type on photovoltaic performance," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 735-744.
    3. Karim Menoufi, 2017. "Dust Accumulation on the Surface of Photovoltaic Panels: Introducing the Photovoltaic Soiling Index (PVSI)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-12, June.
    4. Sarver, Travis & Al-Qaraghuli, Ali & Kazmerski, Lawrence L., 2013. "A comprehensive review of the impact of dust on the use of solar energy: History, investigations, results, literature, and mitigation approaches," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 698-733.
    5. Saidan, Motasem & Albaali, Abdul Ghani & Alasis, Emil & Kaldellis, John K., 2016. "Experimental study on the effect of dust deposition on solar photovoltaic panels in desert environment," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 499-505.
    6. Conceição, Ricardo & González-Aguilar, José & Merrouni, Ahmed Alami & Romero, Manuel, 2022. "Soiling effect in solar energy conversion systems: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    7. Sun, Ke & Lu, Lin & Jiang, Yu & Wang, Yuanhao & Zhou, Kun & He, Zhu, 2018. "Integrated effects of PM2.5 deposition, module surface conditions and nanocoatings on solar PV surface glass transmittance," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P3), pages 4107-4120.
    8. Fan, Siyuan & Wang, Yu & Cao, Shengxian & Sun, Tianyi & Liu, Peng, 2021. "A novel method for analyzing the effect of dust accumulation on energy efficiency loss in photovoltaic (PV) system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    9. Zeki Ahmed Darwish & Hussein A. Kazem & K. Sopian & M. A. Alghoul & Hussain Alawadhi, 2018. "Experimental investigation of dust pollutants and the impact of environmental parameters on PV performance: an experimental study," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 155-174, February.
    10. Yao, Wanxiang & Kong, Xiangru & Xu, Ai & Xu, Puyan & Wang, Yan & Gao, Weijun, 2023. "New models for the influence of rainwater on the performance of photovoltaic modules under different rainfall conditions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    11. Adinoyi, Muhammed J. & Said, Syed A.M., 2013. "Effect of dust accumulation on the power outputs of solar photovoltaic modules," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 633-636.
    12. Kaldellis, J.K. & Kapsali, M., 2011. "Simulating the dust effect on the energy performance of photovoltaic generators based on experimental measurements," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(8), pages 5154-5161.
    13. Ewa Klugmann-Radziemska & Małgorzata Rudnicka, 2020. "The Analysis of Working Parameters Decrease in Photovoltaic Modules as a Result of Dust Deposition," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-11, August.
    14. Maghami, Mohammad Reza & Hizam, Hashim & Gomes, Chandima & Radzi, Mohd Amran & Rezadad, Mohammad Ismael & Hajighorbani, Shahrooz, 2016. "Power loss due to soiling on solar panel: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 1307-1316.
    15. Hammad, Bashar & Al–Abed, Mohammad & Al–Ghandoor, Ahmed & Al–Sardeah, Ali & Al–Bashir, Adnan, 2018. "Modeling and analysis of dust and temperature effects on photovoltaic systems’ performance and optimal cleaning frequency: Jordan case study," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P3), pages 2218-2234.
    16. Ma, Chao & Liu, Zhao, 2022. "Water-surface photovoltaics: Performance, utilization, and interactions with water eco-environment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    17. Santhakumari, Manju & Sagar, Netramani, 2019. "A review of the environmental factors degrading the performance of silicon wafer-based photovoltaic modules: Failure detection methods and essential mitigation techniques," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 83-100.
    18. 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.
    19. Pankaj Borah & Leonardo Micheli & Nabin Sarmah, 2023. "Analysis of Soiling Loss in Photovoltaic Modules: A Review of the Impact of Atmospheric Parameters, Soil Properties, and Mitigation Approaches," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-26, December.
    20. Carmen Otilia Rusănescu & Marin Rusănescu & Irina Aura Istrate & Gabriel Alexandru Constantin & Mihaela Begea, 2023. "The Effect of Dust Deposition on the Performance of Photovoltaic Panels," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-20, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:65:y:2016:i:c:p:1267-1278. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.