Abstract
The efficiency of a photovoltaic (PV) panels drops significantly in dusty environments. The variation in temperature could have a substantial impact on PV panel cells, which could further lead to high deterioration and eventually permanent damage to the PV material in the presence of dust. To resolve this issue, in this work a novel hydrophobic silicon dioxide (SiO2)-based nanoparticle coating is proposed for the PV panel, to shrink the surface stress developed between the water and the coated facet. Two identical PV modules were installed to conduct comparable experimental tests simultaneously. The first module is coated by the SiO2 nanoparticles, and the second is uncoated and used as a reference. To maintain coherency, the experiments are done in the same environmental conditions, cleaning the PV modules at regular intervals. Results reveal that the accumulated energy generated during this period of study was comprehensively enhanced. Moreover, the self-cleaning property of the hydrophobic surface of the coated panel allowed water droplets to slide smoothly down the PV module surface, carrying dust particles. Useful recommendations are made at the end to enhance the performance of PV panels in dusty environments.
Highlights
The PV panels used for solar energy have been extensively studied to find routes to enhance their performance
Solar cell designs undergo dust accumulation that lead to reduced power transformation efficiency and high operating expenses related to the cleaning method for PV modules [5,6,7,8,9]
The system was installed in dry desert conditions at Hashemite University, Jordan (32.05◦ N, 36.06◦ E) at an elevation of 570 m, where a probable tilt angle of 26◦ was considered on the southern side
Summary
Bulk energy demand in recent years has prompted the production of state-of-the-art renewable energy solutions and designs. Soiling is defined as the accumulation and racking up of variants that may affect the performance of PV panels These variants are dust, sand, snow, dirt, pollen, leaves, and bird droppings. Considering the soiling situation in the MENA region, there are certain times of year where power loss can be up to 30–65% in Saudi Arabia and North Africa [10,16]. In severe situations, this could damage the silicon inside the solar panel [8]
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