Effect of Dust Events on Photovoltaics Electricity Production in the European and North African Regions

Abstract

The effect of two dust events on solar energy has been studied in Europe and North Africa. For analysis, total aerosol and dust optical depth (AOD) in conjunction with solar irradiation and energy data were utilized from Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS). The AOD reached ~2.8 and ~1.7 during the dust events (16–19 April 2021 and 15–18 March 2022), respectively. Both events originated in North Africa, reaching the northern parts of Europe and the Black Sea. The energy production of solar photovoltaics in the affected regions was reduced by almost 18–36 GWh, followed by an estimated financial loss of close to 4 million euros.

Keywords

• aerosol optical depth
• solar energy
• dust effect
• photovoltaic
• financial loss