Evaluating Dust Accumulation Effects on the Electrical Performance of Photovoltaic Modules: A Case Study from Egypt and Global Implications
نویسندگان
1 Department of Mechanical Power Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Zagazig, P.O. Box: 44759, Zagazig, Egypt.
2 Department of Mechanical Power Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Zagazig, P.O. Box: 44759, Zagazig, Egypt.
3 Department of Mechanical Power Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Zagazig, P.O. Box: 44759, Zagazig, Egypt.
doi
10.30501/jree.2026.522475.2394چکیده
Dust accumulation on photovoltaic (PV) modules poses a significant challenge to energy efficiency, particularly in arid regions such as Egypt’s Sharkia governorate. This study evaluates the impact of dust on PV performance under three conditions: no cleaning, cleaning with water, and cleaning using water condensed from atmospheric vapor. The average daily dust accumulation was 0.1601 g/m². During August and September, the energy output for the three cases was 262.6, 336.6, and 321.3 kWh/kW, respectively. Although cleaning with condensed water restored a portion of the lost efficiency, it produced slightly less energy than cleaning with natural water due to the energy consumed during the condensation process. Dust analysis revealed that it was primarily composed of oxygen and silicon compounds, with irregular particle shapes that enhanced light scattering and absorption, resulting in further efficiency losses. Despite the associated energy cost, atmospheric vapor condensation proved to be a feasible cleaning method. These findings underscore the importance of developing cost-effective and energy-efficient cleaning strategies to maintain PV system performance in dusty climates.Despite the energy cost, atmospheric vapor condensation proved to be a feasible cleaning method. These findings highlight the importance of developing cost-effective and energy-efficient cleaning strategies to maintain PV system performance in dusty climates.
