Review of Strategies to Mitigate Dust Deposition on Solar Photovoltaic Systems

Abstract

In recent years, there has been an increased focus on developing and utilizing renewable energy resources due to several factors, including environmental concerns, rising fuel costs, and the limited supply of conventional fossil fuels. The most appealing green energy conversion technology is solar energy, and its efficient application can help the world achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7: Access to affordable, clean energy. Irradiance, latitude, longitude, tilt angle, and orientation are a few variables that affect the functioning of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system. Additionally, environmental factors like dust accumulation and soiling of panel surfaces impact the cost of maintaining and producing electricity from a PV system. Dust characteristics (kind, size, shape, and meteorological elements), one of the largest factors affecting PV panel performance, need to be investigated to devise specific solutions for efficiently harnessing solar energy. The essential findings of ongoing investigations on dust deposition on the surface of PV structures and various mitigating measures to tackle soiling issues are presented in this review study. This comprehensive assessment critically evaluates the current research on the soiling effect and PV system performance improvement techniques to determine the academic community’s future research priorities.

Real-time investigation of dust collection effects on solar PV panel efficiency

“…All the conducted tests show the same sought-after output results. The expectations outlined in the research [13,14] proved to be precise, the more dust amassed, the greater the decrease in electric output and irradiation resulting from the covering up of dust particles over PV panels. 0.022g/0.01m2 of dust was collected with an average drop in output power of 0.05 %.…”

“…It's worth noting that there exists significant enthusiasm for deploying Solar energy production in desert or dry areas since those offer optimal circumstances conducive to flat-plane solar radiation. Due to the importance of examining the impact of dust on PV modules, numerous researchers have conducted comprehensive review studies [13]. To ensure the enduring effectiveness and environmental friendliness of solar power, it is crucial to understand the Impacts of dust on solar systems and design efficient cleaning and upkeep procedures.…”

The Saharan dust plume: Current knowledge on the impact on health, human activities, and the ecosystem, with comments on research gaps

“…Such deposits also reduce reservoir storage capacity and clog streams and drainage channels. Dust deposition can have serious repercussions on the operating potential of solar power plants (Vedulla et al, 2022), adversely affecting the two main technologies used to convert the sun's abundant radiation into electricity, photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP)…”

Smart Control Strategy for Adaptive Management of Islanded Hybrid Microgrids

“…The International Energy Agency (IEA) has established an ambitious target of achieving 953 TWh of global electricity production from PV systems by 2025, reflecting a remarkable growth of more than 400% since 2014 [5]. However, renewable energy sources are inherently intermittent, heavily reliant on weather patterns and environmental conditions [6]. To address this challenge, a combination of multiple power sources can be integrated with storage space modules like super capacitors and batteries, enabling the development of an efficient and resilient network [7].…”