Influence of dust deposition on optimal sizing of PV-battery system in arid region: a case study for Saudi Arabia

Dust accumulation is a major challenge for PV systems in arid regions, reducing efficiency and increasing system costs. This study analyzes the influence of dust on the optimal sizing of a stand-alone PV-battery system for a typical household in Saudi Arabia. Dust samples were examined using SEM and EDS, showing irregular particles (1-100 µm, average ~ 50 µm) composed mainly of oxygen (58.6%) and silicon (11.8%). These particles reduced glass transmittance from 1 (clean) to 0.704, 0.496, and 0.349 at dust densities of 0.7, 1.4, and 2.1 mg/cm², respectively. A MATLAB-based techno-economic model was developed to optimize system design under each condition while ensuring 0% loss of power supply probability. Under clean conditions, to meet a typical household load of approximately 2 kW, the optimal system required 10.5 kWp PV (21 modules) and 5 batteries at an LCOE of 0.22 $/kWh. At 0.7 mg/cm², the requirement increased to 15 kWp PV (30 modules) with 5 batteries at 0.27 $/kWh. For 1.4 mg/cm², 19.5 kWp PV (39 modules) and 6 batteries were needed, raising LCOE to 0.33 $/kWh. At 2.1 mg/cm², the system required 21 kWp PV (42 modules) and 9 batteries, resulting in 0.40 $/kWh, an 82% cost increase. Results highlight the need for dust-mitigation strategies to ensure reliable and cost-effective PV system performance overall.