Soiling of photovoltaic panels in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and mitigation strategies

Enas Fares; Marie Buffiere; Benjamin Figgis; Yousef Haik; Rima J. Isaifan

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2021.111303

Soiling of photovoltaic panels in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and mitigation strategies

Enas Fares^*, Marie Buffiere, Benjamin Figgis, Yousef Haik, Rima J. Isaifan

^*Corresponding author for this work

QEERI - Energy Center

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

32 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The use of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy is significantly increasing; thus, PV systems’ efficiency in outdoor working conditions must be optimized. Dust accumulation (or soiling) is one of the most critical external factors affecting the PV efficiency in arid regions. The Gulf Cooperation Council region is showing a tremendous increase in PV deployment. Accordingly, concerns about the maintenance of PV systems in such dusty, water-scarce areas have been raised. This brief review aims at providing an overview of the critical (issues) of PV soiling in the Gulf Cooperation Council. It summarizes findings on dust characteristics in this region and the effects of dust and soiling on PV performance. The review also summarizes various mitigation strategies currently available or under development, with a focus on anti-soiling coatings (ASC).

Original language	English
Article number	111303
Journal	Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
Volume	231
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2021.111303
Publication status	Published - Oct 2021

Keywords

Anti-Soiling
Dust accumulation
Hydrophobic
PV module
Solar energy
Soling

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10.1016/j.solmat.2021.111303

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title = "Soiling of photovoltaic panels in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and mitigation strategies",

abstract = "The use of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy is significantly increasing; thus, PV systems{\textquoteright} efficiency in outdoor working conditions must be optimized. Dust accumulation (or soiling) is one of the most critical external factors affecting the PV efficiency in arid regions. The Gulf Cooperation Council region is showing a tremendous increase in PV deployment. Accordingly, concerns about the maintenance of PV systems in such dusty, water-scarce areas have been raised. This brief review aims at providing an overview of the critical (issues) of PV soiling in the Gulf Cooperation Council. It summarizes findings on dust characteristics in this region and the effects of dust and soiling on PV performance. The review also summarizes various mitigation strategies currently available or under development, with a focus on anti-soiling coatings (ASC).",

keywords = "Anti-Soiling, Dust accumulation, Hydrophobic, PV module, Solar energy, Soling",

author = "Enas Fares and Marie Buffiere and Benjamin Figgis and Yousef Haik and Isaifan, \{Rima J.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021",

year = "2021",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1016/j.solmat.2021.111303",

language = "English",

volume = "231",

journal = "Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells",

issn = "0927-0248",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Soiling of photovoltaic panels in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and mitigation strategies

AU - Fares, Enas

AU - Buffiere, Marie

AU - Figgis, Benjamin

AU - Haik, Yousef

AU - Isaifan, Rima J.

PY - 2021/10

Y1 - 2021/10

N2 - The use of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy is significantly increasing; thus, PV systems’ efficiency in outdoor working conditions must be optimized. Dust accumulation (or soiling) is one of the most critical external factors affecting the PV efficiency in arid regions. The Gulf Cooperation Council region is showing a tremendous increase in PV deployment. Accordingly, concerns about the maintenance of PV systems in such dusty, water-scarce areas have been raised. This brief review aims at providing an overview of the critical (issues) of PV soiling in the Gulf Cooperation Council. It summarizes findings on dust characteristics in this region and the effects of dust and soiling on PV performance. The review also summarizes various mitigation strategies currently available or under development, with a focus on anti-soiling coatings (ASC).

AB - The use of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy is significantly increasing; thus, PV systems’ efficiency in outdoor working conditions must be optimized. Dust accumulation (or soiling) is one of the most critical external factors affecting the PV efficiency in arid regions. The Gulf Cooperation Council region is showing a tremendous increase in PV deployment. Accordingly, concerns about the maintenance of PV systems in such dusty, water-scarce areas have been raised. This brief review aims at providing an overview of the critical (issues) of PV soiling in the Gulf Cooperation Council. It summarizes findings on dust characteristics in this region and the effects of dust and soiling on PV performance. The review also summarizes various mitigation strategies currently available or under development, with a focus on anti-soiling coatings (ASC).

KW - Anti-Soiling

KW - Dust accumulation

KW - Hydrophobic

KW - PV module

KW - Solar energy

KW - Soling

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85111221034

U2 - 10.1016/j.solmat.2021.111303

DO - 10.1016/j.solmat.2021.111303

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:85111221034

SN - 0927-0248

VL - 231

JO - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

JF - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

M1 - 111303

ER -

Soiling of photovoltaic panels in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and mitigation strategies

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Keywords

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