Soiling, Cleaning, and Abrasion: The Results of the 5-Year Photovoltaic Glass Coating Field Study

Bomber, Joanna; Einhorn, Asher; Engtrakul, Chaiwat; Lanaghan, Clare; Linger, Jeffrey; Micheli, Leonardo; Miller, David C.; Morse, Joshua; Moutinho, Helio; Muller, Matthew; Newkirk, Jimmy M.; Simpson, Lin; To, Bobby; Toth, Sarah; Curtis, Telia; Li, Fang; Tamizhmani, Govindasamy; Tatapudi, Sai; Alberts, Vivian; Al Nuaimi, Aaesha; Banda, Pedro; John, Jim J.; Mathiak, Gerhard; Safieh, Ahmad O. M.; Stefancich, Marco; Alabdulrazzaq, Bader; Al-Qattan, Ayman; Bhaduri, Sonali; Kottantharayil, Anil; Bourne, Ben; deFreitas, Zoe; Farina, Fabrizio; Kimball, Greg; Hoffman, Adam

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2024.113035

Soiling, Cleaning, and Abrasion: The Results of the 5-Year Photovoltaic Glass Coating Field Study

Journal Article · Thu Jul 18 00:00:00 EDT 2024 · Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2024.113035· OSTI ID:2447840

Bomber, Joanna; Einhorn, Asher; ; Lanaghan, Clare; Linger, Jeffrey; Micheli, Leonardo; ; Morse, Joshua; Moutinho, Helio; ; Newkirk, Jimmy M.; Simpson, Lin; To, Bobby; Toth, Sarah; Curtis, Telia; Li, Fang; Tamizhmani, Govindasamy; Tatapudi, Sai; Alberts, Vivian; Al Nuaimi, Aaesha more »

External contamination ("soiling") of the incident surface is a major limiting factor for solar technologies. A 5-year field glass coupon study was conducted to better understand external contamination and its effects; compare cleaning methods and the use of preventative coatings; and explore the abrasion resulting from cleaning to advise on accelerated abrasion testing. Test sites included the cities of Dubai (UAE), Kuwait City (Kuwait), Mesa (AZ), Mumbai (India), and Sacramento (CA). Through the 5-year cumulative study, dry brush, water spray, and wet sponge and squeegee cleaning methods were compared to no cleaning. Optical microscopy was used to obtain images, including representative color images, grayscale images for object analysis, and oblique images for coating integrity assessment. A thresholding protocol was developed to analyze and distinguish specimens using the ImageJ software. Optical performance was quantified using a spectrophotometer, including comprehensive optical characterization (transmittance, reflectance, and absorptance in addition to forward- and back-scattering). Atomic force microscopy was used to verify the abrasion damage morphology, including the width and depth of surface scratches. Analysis of the results included correlation of optical performance and particle area coverage, rank order (by coating or location), and the acceleration factor for abrasion damage. The efficacy of external cleaning was more readily distinguished from the effectiveness of antisoiling coatings. The acceleration factor for dry brush cleaning of a porous silica coating was found to be on the order of unity.

Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office

DOE Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 2447840

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5K00-89342; MainId:90121; UUID:1c199693-8294-4bae-9f68-2f51aae4149c; MainAdminId:73860

Journal Information:: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Journal Name: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells Vol. 275

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (43)

Techniques to measure grain‐size distributions of loamy sediments: a comparative study of ten instruments for wet analysis Goossens, Dirk Sedimentology, Vol. 55, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3091.2007.00893.x	journal	October 2007
The Abrasion of Photovoltaic Glass: A Comparison of the Effects of Natural and Artificial Aging Miller, David C.; Alnuaimi, Aaesha; John, Jim J. IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, Vol. 10, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2019.2947029	journal	January 2020
Modelling photovoltaic soiling losses through optical characterization Smestad, Greg P.; Germer, Thomas A.; Alrashidi, Hameed Scientific Reports, Vol. 10, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-56868-z	journal	January 2020
Photovoltaic module calibration value versus optical air mass: the air mass function: PV module calibration value versus optical air mass Osterwald, C. R.; Emery, K. A.; Muller, M. Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, Vol. 22, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2303	journal	December 2012
Comparative modeling of optical soiling losses for CSP and PV energy systems Bellmann, Philipp; Wolfertstetter, Fabian; Conceição, Ricardo Solar Energy, Vol. 197 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2019.12.045	journal	February 2020
Review of methods to account for the solar spectral influence on photovoltaic device performance Daxini, Rajiv; Wu, Yupeng Energy, Vol. 286 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2023.129461	journal	January 2024
A Comparison of Emerging and Industry Benchmark Photovoltaic Backsheets Between Different Outdoor Locations Palmiotti, Elizabeth; King, Bruce; Arnold, Rachael 2023 IEEE 50th Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC) https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC48320.2023.10359601	conference	June 2023
Characterization of dust particles in South India and investigation on soiling image analysis for photovoltaic application Laarabi, Bouchra; Rajasekar, Natarajan; Gopi, Nikhil Pattath Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Vol. 30, Issue 34 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-22630-8	journal	August 2022
Sub-aerial biofilms as blockers of solar radiation: spectral properties as tools to characterise material-relevant microbial growth Noack-Schönmann, S.; Spagin, O.; Gründer, K. -P. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, Vol. 86 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibiod.2013.09.020	journal	January 2014
Durability of Fresnel lenses: A review specific to the concentrating photovoltaic application Miller, David C.; Kurtz, Sarah R. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 95, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2011.01.031	journal	August 2011
The Discoloration of the Taj Mahal due to Particulate Carbon and Dust Deposition Bergin, M. H.; Tripathi, S. N.; Jai Devi, J. Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 49, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1021/es504005q	journal	December 2014
Surface Particle Obscuration And BRDF Predictions Ma, P. T.; Fong, M. C.; Lee, A. L. 33rd Annual Techincal Symposium, SPIE Proceedings https://doi.org/10.1117/12.962866	conference	January 1990
Dust potency in the context of solar photovoltaic (PV) soiling loss Javed, Wasim; Guo, Bing; Figgis, Benjamin Solar Energy, Vol. 220 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2021.04.015	journal	May 2021
Microstructural analysis of the PV module cementation process at the Solar Platform of the Atacama Desert Olivares, Douglas; Ferrada, Pablo; Marzo, Aitor Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 227 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2021.111109	journal	August 2021
Fundamentals of soiling processes on photovoltaic modules Ilse, Klemens K.; Figgis, Benjamin W.; Naumann, Volker Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 98 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2018.09.015	journal	December 2018
Efficient image-based soiling quantification using histograms of a checkered pattern Guo, Bing; Yang, Mingda; Xiuquan Ji, Jim Solar Energy, Vol. 242 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2022.07.034	journal	August 2022
The performance and durability of single-layer sol-gel anti-reflection coatings applied to solar module cover glass Womack, Gerald; Isbilir, Kenan; Lisco, Fabiana Surface and Coatings Technology, Vol. 358 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2018.11.030	journal	January 2019
Comparative analysis of energy produced by photovoltaic modules with anti-soiling coated surface in arid climates Piliougine, M.; Cañete, C.; Moreno, R. Applied Energy, Vol. 112 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2013.01.048	journal	December 2013
Anti-reflective coatings: A critical, in-depth review Raut, Hemant Kumar; Ganesh, V. Anand; Nair, A. Sreekumaran Energy & Environmental Science, Vol. 4, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1039/c1ee01297e	journal	January 2011
Correlating photovoltaic soiling losses to waveband and single-value transmittance measurements Micheli, Leonardo; Caballero, Jose A.; Fernandez, Eduardo F. Energy, Vol. 180 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2019.05.097	journal	August 2019
Characterizing Mineral Dusts and Other Aerosols from the Middle East—Part 1: Ambient Sampling Engelbrecht, Johann P.; McDonald, Eric V.; Gillies, John A. Inhalation Toxicology, Vol. 21, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1080/08958370802464273	journal	April 2009
Multi-year field assessment of seasonal variability of photovoltaic soiling and environmental factors in a desert environment Javed, Wasim; Guo, Bing; Figgis, Benjamin Solar Energy, Vol. 211 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2020.10.076	journal	November 2020
Photovoltaics module reliability for the terawatt age Jordan, D. C.; Haegel, Nancy; Barnes, Teresa M. Progress in Energy, Vol. 4, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1088/2516-1083/ac6111	journal	April 2022
Fine Particles and Coarse Particles: Concentration Relationships Relevant to Epidemiologic Studies Wilson, William E.; Suh, Helen H. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, Vol. 47, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1080/10473289.1997.10464074	journal	December 1997
Testing the Durability of Anti-Soiling Coatings for Solar Cover Glass by Outdoor Exposure in Denmark Oehler, Gizelle C.; Lisco, Fabiana; Bukhari, Farwah Energies, Vol. 13, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.3390/en13020299	journal	January 2020
Dust-induced shading on photovoltaic modules: Dust-induced shading on photovoltaic modules Qasem, Hassan; Betts, Thomas R.; Müllejans, Harald Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, Vol. 22, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2230	journal	June 2012
Microbial colonization affects the efficiency of photovoltaic panels in a tropical environment Shirakawa, Marcia A.; Zilles, Roberto; Mocelin, Andre Journal of Environmental Management, Vol. 157 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2015.03.050	journal	July 2015
Outdoor soiling microscope for measuring particle deposition and resuspension Figgis, Benjamin; Ennaoui, Ahmed; Guo, Bing Solar Energy, Vol. 137 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2016.08.015	journal	November 2016
NIH Image to ImageJ: 25 years of image analysis Schneider, Caroline A.; Rasband, Wayne S.; Eliceiri, Kevin W. Nature Methods, Vol. 9, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth.2089	journal	June 2012
Optical losses of photovoltaic cells due to aerosol deposition: Role of particle refractive index and size Piedra, Patricio; Moosmüller, Hans Solar Energy, Vol. 155 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2017.06.047	journal	October 2017
Particle Sizing by Means of the Forward Scattering Lobe Hodkinson, J. Raymond Applied Optics, Vol. 5, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.5.000839	journal	May 1966
Photoinduced Surface Reactions on TiO ₂ and SrTiO ₃ Films: Photocatalytic Oxidation and Photoinduced Hydrophilicity Miyauchi, Masahiro; Nakajima, Akira; Fujishima, Akira Chemistry of Materials, Vol. 12, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1021/cm990556p	journal	January 2000
Techno-Economic Assessment of Soiling Losses and Mitigation Strategies for Solar Power Generation Ilse, Klemens; Micheli, Leonardo; Figgis, Benjamin W. Joule, Vol. 3, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2019.08.019	journal	October 2019
Understanding Multiple Stressors Which Degrade Antisoiling Coatings: Combined Effect of Rain, Abrasion, and UV Radiation Bhaduri, Sonali; Bajhal, Rohan; Farkade, Makrand IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, Vol. 13, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2023.3273812	journal	July 2023
Wavelength dependent scattering caused by dust accumulation on solar mirrors Pettit, R. B.; Freese, J. M. Solar Energy Materials, Vol. 3, Issue 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-1633(80)90046-5	journal	September 1980
Optical properties and mineralogical composition of different Saharan mineral dust samples: a laboratory study Linke, C.; Möhler, O.; Veres, A. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol. 6, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-6-3315-2006	journal	January 2006
Soiling and cleaning: Initial observations from 5-year photovoltaic glass coating durability study Toth, Sarah; Muller, Matthew; Miller, David C. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 185 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2018.05.039	journal	October 2018
Molecular and physiological effects of environmental UV radiation on fungal conidia Braga, Gilberto U. L.; Rangel, Drauzio E. N.; Fernandes, Éverton K. K. Current Genetics, Vol. 61, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00294-015-0483-0	journal	April 2015
The performance and durability of Anti-reflection coatings for solar module cover glass – a review Law, Adam M.; Jones, Luke O.; Walls, John M. Solar Energy, Vol. 261 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2023.06.009	journal	September 2023
Evaluation of reflectance measurement techniques for artificially soiled solar reflectors: Experimental campaign and model assessment Picotti, G.; Simonetti, R.; Schmidt, T. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 231 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2021.111321	journal	October 2021
Characterization of dust accumulated on photovoltaic panels in Doha, Qatar Javed, Wasim; Wubulikasimu, Yiming; Figgis, Benjamin Solar Energy, Vol. 142 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2016.11.053	journal	January 2017
A highly diverse, desert-like microbial biocenosis on solar panels in a Mediterranean city Dorado-Morales, Pedro; Vilanova, Cristina; Peretó, Juli Scientific Reports, Vol. 6, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/srep29235	journal	July 2016
A comprehensive review of the impact of dust on the use of solar energy: History, investigations, results, literature, and mitigation approaches Sarver, Travis; Al-Qaraghuli, Ali; Kazmerski, Lawrence L. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 22 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2012.12.065	journal	June 2013

Similar Records

"Soiling, Cleaning, and Abrasion: The Results of the Five-Year Photovoltaic Glass Coating Field Study" [Slides]

Technical Report · Thu Jun 20 00:00:00 EDT 2024 · OSTI ID:2375836

Soiling Related Abrasion and the Development of a PV Abrasion Standard

Conference · Sun Nov 25 23:00:00 EST 2018 · OSTI ID:1484165

The Abrasion of Photovoltaic Glass: A Comparison of the Effects of Natural and Artificial Aging

Conference · Sun Feb 09 23:00:00 EST 2020 · OSTI ID:1599752

Related Subjects

ImageJ
MATERIALS SCIENCE
SOLAR ENERGY
PV Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT)
antireflective (AR) coating
antisoiling (AS) coating
atomic force microscopy (AFM)
cleaning
contamination density
durability
optical performance
particulate matter
soiling
surface abrasion
surface coverage

Soiling, Cleaning, and Abrasion: The Results of the 5-Year Photovoltaic Glass Coating Field Study

Citation Formats

References (43)

Similar Records

Related Subjects