Effect of dust accumulation on the power outputs of solar photovoltaic modules
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present the results of a study on the effect of dust accumulation on the power output of solar PV modules in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia, which indicates that power decrease by as much as 50% can be experienced for solar PV module that are left unclean for a period of over six months.
About: This article is published in Renewable Energy.The article was published on 2013-12-01. It has received 336 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Photovoltaic system & Solar power.
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TL;DR: In this paper, a brief review of the energy yield losses caused by dust deposition on solar collectors, with particular emphasis on flat-panel photovoltaic (PV) systems, is presented.
380 citations
TL;DR: The types and causes of PV systems (PVS) failures are presented, then different methods proposed in literature for FDD of PVS are reviewed and discussed; particularly faults occurring in PV arrays (PVA).
Abstract: Faults in any components (modules, connection lines, converters, inverters, etc.) of photovoltaic (PV) systems (stand-alone, grid-connected or hybrid PV systems) can seriously affect the efficiency, energy yield as well as the security and reliability of the entire PV plant, if not detected and corrected quickly. In addition, if some faults persist (e.g. arc fault, ground fault and line-to-line fault) they can lead to risk of fire. Fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) methods are indispensable for the system reliability, operation at high efficiency, and safety of the PV plant. In this paper, the types and causes of PV systems (PVS) failures are presented, then different methods proposed in literature for FDD of PVS are reviewed and discussed; particularly faults occurring in PV arrays (PVA). Special attention is paid to methods that can accurately detect, localise and classify possible faults occurring in a PVA. The advantages and limits of FDD methods in terms of feasibility, complexity, cost-effectiveness and generalisation capability for large-scale integration are highlighted. Based on the reviewed papers, challenges and recommendations for future research direction are also provided.
308 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the effect of dust fouling on overall plane glass transmittance, spectral transmittances of anti-reflective coated glass and characterization of the physical and chemical properties of dust particles are included.
198 citations
Cites background from "Effect of dust accumulation on the ..."
...A 50% reduction is reported in PV power output after six months of outdoor exposure in Dhahran–KSA (Said, 1990; Adinoyi and Said, 2013)....
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide a review survey of solar device soiling and mitigation approaches published over the past 5 years. But the focus is on the period 2013-2015, but an updated listing is also provided for the year 2012 for completeness.
Abstract: The purpose of this review survey is to provide a literature compilation, updating materials reported in several review papers on solar-device soiling and mitigation approaches published over the past 5 years. The focus is on the period 2013–2015, but an updated listing is also provided for the year 2012 for completeness. This literature review also provides the first update for a periodic, single collation report on such publications proposed in this journal two years ago. This review presents a listing of the publications, their publication source, and some brief tabulated information to help guide the reader into the focus of each of the works.
196 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors review the most commonly used solar trackers and identify the systems that offer benefits such as greater efficiency, greater tracking accuracy, easy installation and cost effectiveness.
Abstract: The conversion of solar energy into electricity is a viable response to address most of world's energy problems. Among the parameters affecting the performance of both photovoltaic (PV) cells and concentrating solar power (CSP) systems include their orientation and tilt angle with respect to the sun. Solar trackers (ST) are ideal devises for efficiency improvement. This paper aims to review the most commonly used ST and identify the systems that offer benefits such as greater efficiency, greater tracking accuracy, easy installation and cost effectiveness. There are mainly two types of ST viz. single and double axis ST. The optimization of these devices requires cumbersome specifications to avoid potential tracking errors that often lead to their poor performance. These specifications cannot be fulfilled by simple tracking methods due to different sources of tracking errors such as the misalignment of the tracking fixture, the level of pollution of the area, the shading of the sensors, the types of control schemes involved, the auxiliary units of the system, the lack of maintenance as well as the imperfection and power mismatch of connecting grids. The study reveals that double axis ST in form of polar-axis and azimuth/elevation featuring the solar movement models and the dynamic closed loop feedback control are the most effective and generally give more than a 40% improvement in energy return compared to fixed PV panels. Moreover, large systems significantly reduce the costs and save on materials. The energy consumed by the moving fixtures is mostly low (2–5% of the collected energy) but this could be higher if no optimization is performed. Lastly, all the hardware and software energy saving parameters must be optimized right from the early stages of the development of the system to prevent materials wastage and the energy over-consumption by the tracking units.
177 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the impact of dust on PV system performance and identifying challenges to further pertinent research are discussed. And a framework to understand the various factors that govern the settling/assimilation of dust and likely mitigation measures have been discussed in this paper.
Abstract: The peaking of most oil reserves and impending climate change are critically driving the adoption of solar photovoltaic's (PV) as a sustainable renewable and eco-friendly alternative. Ongoing material research has yet to find a breakthrough in significantly raising the conversion efficiency of commercial PV modules. The installation of PV systems for optimum yield is primarily dictated by its geographic location (latitude and available solar insolation) and installation design (tilt, orientation and altitude) to maximize solar exposure. However, once these parameters have been addressed appropriately, there are other depending factors that arise in determining the system performance (efficiency and output). Dust is the lesser acknowledged factor that significantly influences the performance of the PV installations. This paper provides an appraisal on the current status of research in studying the impact of dust on PV system performance and identifies challenges to further pertinent research. A framework to understand the various factors that govern the settling/assimilation of dust and likely mitigation measures have been discussed in this paper. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
800 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the influence of dust on the performance of photovoltaic (PV) systems has not been given much attention, and the work described here contributes considerably to overcome this deficit.
471 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the effect of dust accumulation on glass plates with different tilt angles and associated reduction in solar transmittance in the Minia region, middle of Egypt.
310 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the performance of five different types of photovoltaic modules have been measured for more than a year in the temperate climate of Perth, Western Australia, using a purpose built outdoor monitoring facility.
241 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of dust accumulation on the surface of photovoltaic cells were experimentally investigated, and the effect of dust deposition density on the short circuit current, output power and the fill factor was determined and discussed.
184 citations