Does soiling reduce PV generation in heavily polluted and desert regions?

Our results reveal that, with no cleaning and precipitation-only removal, PV generation in heavily polluted and desert regions is reduced by more than 50% by PM, with soiling accounting for more than two-thirds of the total reduction.

How does soiling affect solar panels?

In addition, soiling of solar panels, caused by the accumulation of dust and dirt on the panel surface, limits the penetration of insolation to PV cells, and thus reduces the efficiency of electricity generation 12, 13, 14.

Can air quality improve solar generation in China?

Li et al. 9 found that atmospheric aerosols in the North China Plain reduce annual average surface solar resource by 25–35%, that is, a loss of up to 1.5 kWh m −2 d −1 in generation 9. Recent studies indicate that air quality improvements in China may generate an increase of up to US$10 billion in solar generation revenue annually by 2040 10, 11.

Does soiling affect PV efficiency?

A large reduction in PV efficiency due to soiling is indicated in b and c. When including the soiling impact over an entire annual cycle, assuming removal only by precipitation, PV CFs decrease by more than 30% in the most resource-abundant regions (Fig. 1c).

Can cleaning solar panels reduce photovoltaic electricity generation?

Our findings highlight the benefit of cleaning panels in heavily polluted regions with low precipitation and the potential to increase PV generation through air-quality improvements. Air pollution and dust can reduce photovoltaic electricity generation.

How many GW is solar PV?

Global total PV capacity now exceeds 500 GW (ref. 1). With decreasing production costs, increasing PV module efficiency and continued government support, solar PV is anticipated to provide 16% of total global electricity generation by 2050 (with ~4.6 TW in solar PV capacity) 4.