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Evaluation of the 2013 Southeast Asian Haze on Solar Generation Performance
Mohammadreza Maghami1, Hashim Hizam1, Chandima Gomes2
1Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, 43400, Selangor, Malaysia; Centre of Advanced Power and Energy Research (CAPER), Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Selangor, Malaysia.
Plos One
|August 15, 2015
Summary
Air pollution in Southeast Asia significantly reduces solar energy yield. Tracking flat photovoltaic (PV) systems are less impacted by pollution than fixed flat PV arrays, suggesting improved performance in polluted environments.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Renewable Energy Engineering
- Photovoltaic Technology
Background:
- Air pollution in Southeast Asia presents a significant challenge to energy production and causes substantial energy losses.
- A key issue is the detrimental effect of pollution on the energy yield of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.
- Understanding these impacts is crucial for optimizing renewable energy strategies in the region.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of air pollution on the performance of two distinct types of photovoltaic (PV) solar arrays.
- To compare the energy yield and power output of tracking flat photovoltaic (TFP) arrays versus fixed flat photovoltaic (FFP) arrays under polluted conditions.
- To identify which PV array type is more resilient to air pollution in the Southeast Asian context.
Main Methods:
- Performance analysis of two 1 kWp tracking flat photovoltaic (TFP) units and two 1 kWp fixed flat photovoltaic (FFP) units.
- Data collection over 2,190 samples at 30-minute intervals during June 2013, following array cleaning.
- Evaluation using environmental data (irradiation, temperature, dust thickness, air pollution index), power output, and energy yield, analyzed with multiple regression models.
Main Results:
- The study found that fixed flat photovoltaic (FFP) systems experienced greater performance degradation due to air pollution compared to tracking flat photovoltaic (TFP) systems.
- Environmental factors including irradiation, temperature, dust thickness, and air pollution index were correlated with PV array output.
- Multiple regression models indicated significant differences in how each PV array type responded to pollution levels.
Conclusions:
- Tracking flat photovoltaic (TFP) arrays demonstrate superior performance and resilience against air pollution in Southeast Asia compared to fixed flat photovoltaic (FFP) arrays.
- The findings highlight the importance of considering PV system design in relation to local environmental conditions, particularly air quality.
- This research contributes valuable data on the comparative effects of pollution on different PV technologies in a specific regional context.
