A holistic review of the effects of dust buildup on solar photovoltaic panel efficiency
Sufyan Yakubu,
Ravi Samikannu,
Sidique Gawusu,
Samuel Dodobatia Wetajega,
Victor Okai,
Abdul-Kadir Seini Shaibu,
Getachew Adam Workneh
Affiliations
Sufyan Yakubu
Sustainable Energy Center of Excellence, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University P.O. Box 16417, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Pan African University Institute of Water and Energy Sciences-University of Tlemcen, Tlemcen, Algeria; Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Bolgatanga Technical University, Bolgatanga, Ghana; Corresponding authors at: Sustainable Energy Center of Excellence, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University P.O. Box 16417, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Ravi Samikannu
Department of Electrical, Computer & Telecommunications Engineering, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Palpaye, Botswana; Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, India
Sidique Gawusu
Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
Samuel Dodobatia Wetajega
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Bolgatanga Technical University, Bolgatanga, Ghana
Victor Okai
Department of Industrial Chemistry, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, P.O. Box 16417, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Department of Chemistry, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria
Abdul-Kadir Seini Shaibu
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Dr Hilla Limann Technical University, Wa, Ghana
Getachew Adam Workneh
Sustainable Energy Center of Excellence, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University P.O. Box 16417, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Department of Industrial Chemistry, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, P.O. Box 16417, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Corresponding authors at: Sustainable Energy Center of Excellence, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University P.O. Box 16417, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Understanding the drivers of photovoltaic system performance is very important in the backdrop of the increasingly significant role that solar energy plays in mitigating carbon emissions. Dust accumulation on surface of photovoltaic panel may result in a high degradation of PVs' efficiency with losses ranging from 10% in mild conditions to over 40% in arid regions. This review systematically explores the effects of dust deposition on PV performance, emphasizing the role of environmental factors such as wind speed, precipitation, humidity, and dust composition. Dust particles impede light transmission, raise cell temperatures, and increase resistive losses, leading to reduced output power. Notable efficiency reductions are linked to specific dust types, such as coal dust (up to 64% losses), fine sand (32%), and gypsum (30%), as highlighted by global case studies. This review further underlines how dust accumulation patterns are influenced by complex interactions of environmental factors such as wind precipitation and humidity. The installation characteristics, such as the height of the panels and their orientation, further exacerbate or mitigate the impact of soiling. This study has been designed to put a great deal of significance on the maximisation of solar PV efficiency, given the critical requirements for global renewable energy targets. It flags some promising cleaning methods and emphasises a holistic approach to the optimisation of PV system design and maintenance practices to empower the widespread adoption of this transformative clean energy solution.
