Impact of heated PV modules on soiling behavior and energy yield

Abstract

Soiling impairs the energy yield of photovoltaic systems, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. The primary scientific focus is therefore on the development of efficient cleaning technologies. Complementarily, this work considers a strategy for mitigating soiling through smart heating of photovoltaic modules. The findings suggest that the combination of heated photovoltaic modules with favorable wind conditions can lead to a reduction in dust accumulation. This reduction has the maximum potential to generate an estimated solar energy gain of up to 0.064 kWh/m² per day. However, a comprehensive evaluation of laboratory tests and outdoor experiments conducted in Morocco reveals an overall negative energy balance of −0.24 kWh/m² per day. The heating system consumed more energy than it mitigated soiling-losses. The study demonstrated that low wind speeds of less than 2.7 m/s and unfavorable north wind directions are unsuitable for generating significant resuspension effects despite heating. Consequently, the economic viability of this technology remains uncertain under real-world conditions. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the limitations of the proposed mitigation strategy and identifies the reasons for the overall negative energy yield.