Solar Photovoltaic (PV) power is one of the most popular forms of renewable energy. Photons within sunlight are used to excite electrons in solar panels and create electricity. Studies have found that the performance of PV systems is greatly affected by factors such as location, day length, shading, temperature and pollution.
When left exposed to the elements without regular cleaning, it has been found that the efficiency of PV systems can significantly decrease, depending on external conditions. In some cases, it has been that deterioration in efficiency due to dust and pollution is approximately 40%. For large PV systems, such a loss of efficiency can be extremely expensive, considering the cost of installation and operation. The loss of efficiency is dependent on the mass and size of particles, as smaller size particles occupy more surface area of the PV module and hence blocks more solar radiation.
ESI’s pollution sensors can detect dust particles of different sizes, such as PM1, PM2.5 and PM10. A threshold can be set, and when dust pollution exceeds that threshold, an alert will be sent to signal the need for preventative maintenance of the solar panel. This could be incredibly useful for remote locations, as dust accumulation could go unnoticed for weeks or even months together. Timely alerts and maintenance of PV systems can save thousands of dollars and help optimize the performance of any PV system.