Reduction in Soiling Loss of PV Module Using Hydrophobic Coating With Different Water Contact Angle
Abstract
The deposition of dust particles on Photovoltaic (PV) surfaces is a well-known problem affecting solar panels' performance by reducing their efficiency. Dust and other soiling agents hinder the absorption of solar energy by photovoltaic cells. Consequently, this decreases energy generation, resulting in considerable losses to the PV industry. Hydrophobic coatings are known to reduce soil deposition on any surface. The objective of the present study is to compare the soiling loss of PV modules with and without hydrophobic coatings. Hydrophobic coatings with varying water contact angles (WCA) were applied to PV modules. Uncoated and coated mini-modules were kept for dust deposition in a simulated soiling chamber at different tilt angles to mimic real-world conditions. The soil deposition on coated PV mini-module is significantly less than on uncoated mini-module, leading to lower soiling loss. It indicates that applying hydrophobic coatings is an effective way to reduce the impact of soiling.
Keywords
Hydrophobic, Photovoltaic, Water contact angle, And soiling loss.