An investigation of the key parameters for predicting PV soiling losses

Micheli, Leonardo; Muller, Matthew

doi:10.1002/pip.2860

Title: An investigation of the key parameters for predicting PV soiling losses

Journal Article · 24 January 2017 · Progress in Photovoltaics

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2860 · OSTI ID:1351855

Micheli, Leonardo ^[1]; Muller, Matthew ^[1]

National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

One hundred and two environmental and meteorological parameters have been investigated and compared with the performance of 20 soiling stations installed in the USA, in order to determine their ability to predict the soiling losses occurring on PV systems. The results of this investigation showed that the annual average of the daily mean particulate matter values recorded by monitoring stations deployed near the PV systems are the best soiling predictors, with coefficients of determination (R²) as high as 0.82. The precipitation pattern was also found to be relevant: among the different meteorological parameters, the average length of dry periods had the best correlation with the soiling ratio. Lastly, a preliminary investigation of two-variable regressions was attempted and resulted in an adjusted R² of 0.90 when a combination of PM_2.5 and a binary classification for the average length of the dry period was introduced.

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

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Solar Energy Technologies Office (EE-4S)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1351855

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5J00-67625

Journal Information:: Progress in Photovoltaics, Journal Name: Progress in Photovoltaics Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 25; ISSN 1062-7995

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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14 SOLAR ENERGY
linear regression
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precipitation
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Title: An investigation of the key parameters for predicting PV soiling losses

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