Assessing vertical east-west bifacial photovoltaic systems in desert environments: Energy yield and soiling mitigation

<p dir="ltr">Desert environments exhibit high soiling rates that have a profound impact on the energy yield and the operations and maintenance of Photovoltaic (PV) power plants. This study investigates vertical east–west (Vertical) installation of bifacial PV modules in desert climat...

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Main Author: Maulid Kivambe (19344709) (author)
Other Authors: Amir Abdallah (18094870) (author), Benjamin Figgis (18427935) (author), Giovanni Scabbia (13751501) (author), Mohamed Abdelrahim (5340434) (author), Juan Lopez-Garcia (7208666) (author)
Published: 2024
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_version_ 1864513556429406208
author Maulid Kivambe (19344709)
author2 Amir Abdallah (18094870)
Benjamin Figgis (18427935)
Giovanni Scabbia (13751501)
Mohamed Abdelrahim (5340434)
Juan Lopez-Garcia (7208666)
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author_facet Maulid Kivambe (19344709)
Amir Abdallah (18094870)
Benjamin Figgis (18427935)
Giovanni Scabbia (13751501)
Mohamed Abdelrahim (5340434)
Juan Lopez-Garcia (7208666)
author_role author
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Maulid Kivambe (19344709)
Amir Abdallah (18094870)
Benjamin Figgis (18427935)
Giovanni Scabbia (13751501)
Mohamed Abdelrahim (5340434)
Juan Lopez-Garcia (7208666)
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2024-08-07T06:00:00Z
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv 10.1016/j.solener.2024.112835
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Assessing_vertical_east-west_bifacial_photovoltaic_systems_in_desert_environments_Energy_yield_and_soiling_mitigation/27108670
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv CC BY 4.0
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Engineering
Electrical engineering
Environmental engineering
Environmental sciences
Environmental management
Bifacial
Energy Yield
Soiling
Vertical PV
PV Module
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Assessing vertical east-west bifacial photovoltaic systems in desert environments: Energy yield and soiling mitigation
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Text
Journal contribution
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
text
contribution to journal
description <p dir="ltr">Desert environments exhibit high soiling rates that have a profound impact on the energy yield and the operations and maintenance of Photovoltaic (PV) power plants. This study investigates vertical east–west (Vertical) installation of bifacial PV modules in desert climates − its effectiveness in energy generation and as a mitigation strategy for PV soiling. To assess the impact of module bifaciality and orientation on energy yield and soiling, we compared the performance of latitude-tilted, i.e. 22° facing South (Tilted) bifacial and monofacial, and the vertical bifacial PV modules under real outdoor desert climatic conditions of Qatar. Our findings demonstrate that the vertical installation configuration presents an appealing alternative for energy production and holds great potential as a solution for mitigating soiling in desert climates. Over the study period, clean tilted bifacial modules produced approximately 4.0% more energy than clean vertical modules, on average. However, the tilted modules experienced substantial and progressive soiling losses, reaching up to 60% for monofacial modules. Although the losses for bifacial modules were also high, they were about 15% lower than those of monofacial modules. Additionally, during the summer months, when the sun’s path is higher in the sky, vertical bifacial modules generated 3.8% in average, and up to 9.2% more energy than the tilted modules. The results demonstrate that bifacial PV reduces the impact of PV soiling and the vertical module installation shows strong potential as an effective approach for energy production and combating PV module soiling in desert climates with high natural ground albedo.</p><h2>Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Published in: Solar Energy<br>License: <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2024.112835" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2024.112835</a></p><p dir="ltr">Other institutions affiliated with: Bin Omran Trading & Telecommunication.</p>
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
id Manara2_3404b08b97b118d2193c8963ed5a7bee
identifier_str_mv 10.1016/j.solener.2024.112835
network_acronym_str Manara2
network_name_str Manara2
oai_identifier_str oai:figshare.com:article/27108670
publishDate 2024
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rights_invalid_str_mv CC BY 4.0
spelling Assessing vertical east-west bifacial photovoltaic systems in desert environments: Energy yield and soiling mitigationMaulid Kivambe (19344709)Amir Abdallah (18094870)Benjamin Figgis (18427935)Giovanni Scabbia (13751501)Mohamed Abdelrahim (5340434)Juan Lopez-Garcia (7208666)EngineeringElectrical engineeringEnvironmental engineeringEnvironmental sciencesEnvironmental managementBifacialEnergy YieldSoilingVertical PVPV Module<p dir="ltr">Desert environments exhibit high soiling rates that have a profound impact on the energy yield and the operations and maintenance of Photovoltaic (PV) power plants. This study investigates vertical east–west (Vertical) installation of bifacial PV modules in desert climates − its effectiveness in energy generation and as a mitigation strategy for PV soiling. To assess the impact of module bifaciality and orientation on energy yield and soiling, we compared the performance of latitude-tilted, i.e. 22° facing South (Tilted) bifacial and monofacial, and the vertical bifacial PV modules under real outdoor desert climatic conditions of Qatar. Our findings demonstrate that the vertical installation configuration presents an appealing alternative for energy production and holds great potential as a solution for mitigating soiling in desert climates. Over the study period, clean tilted bifacial modules produced approximately 4.0% more energy than clean vertical modules, on average. However, the tilted modules experienced substantial and progressive soiling losses, reaching up to 60% for monofacial modules. Although the losses for bifacial modules were also high, they were about 15% lower than those of monofacial modules. Additionally, during the summer months, when the sun’s path is higher in the sky, vertical bifacial modules generated 3.8% in average, and up to 9.2% more energy than the tilted modules. The results demonstrate that bifacial PV reduces the impact of PV soiling and the vertical module installation shows strong potential as an effective approach for energy production and combating PV module soiling in desert climates with high natural ground albedo.</p><h2>Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Published in: Solar Energy<br>License: <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2024.112835" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2024.112835</a></p><p dir="ltr">Other institutions affiliated with: Bin Omran Trading & Telecommunication.</p>2024-08-07T06:00:00ZTextJournal contributioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersiontextcontribution to journal10.1016/j.solener.2024.112835https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Assessing_vertical_east-west_bifacial_photovoltaic_systems_in_desert_environments_Energy_yield_and_soiling_mitigation/27108670CC BY 4.0info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:figshare.com:article/271086702024-08-07T06:00:00Z
spellingShingle Assessing vertical east-west bifacial photovoltaic systems in desert environments: Energy yield and soiling mitigation
Maulid Kivambe (19344709)
Engineering
Electrical engineering
Environmental engineering
Environmental sciences
Environmental management
Bifacial
Energy Yield
Soiling
Vertical PV
PV Module
status_str publishedVersion
title Assessing vertical east-west bifacial photovoltaic systems in desert environments: Energy yield and soiling mitigation
title_full Assessing vertical east-west bifacial photovoltaic systems in desert environments: Energy yield and soiling mitigation
title_fullStr Assessing vertical east-west bifacial photovoltaic systems in desert environments: Energy yield and soiling mitigation
title_full_unstemmed Assessing vertical east-west bifacial photovoltaic systems in desert environments: Energy yield and soiling mitigation
title_short Assessing vertical east-west bifacial photovoltaic systems in desert environments: Energy yield and soiling mitigation
title_sort Assessing vertical east-west bifacial photovoltaic systems in desert environments: Energy yield and soiling mitigation
topic Engineering
Electrical engineering
Environmental engineering
Environmental sciences
Environmental management
Bifacial
Energy Yield
Soiling
Vertical PV
PV Module