Performance Enhancement of Self-Cleaning Hydrophobic Nanocoated Photovoltaic Panels in a Dusty Environment

Abstract

The efficiency of a photovoltaic (PV) panels drops significantly in dusty environments. The variation in temperature could have a substantial impact on PV panel cells, which could further lead to high deterioration and eventually permanent damage to the PV material in the presence of dust. To resolve this issue, in this work a novel hydrophobic silicon dioxide (SiO2)-based nanoparticle coating is proposed for the PV panel, to shrink the surface stress developed between the water and the coated facet. Two identical PV modules were installed to conduct comparable experimental tests simultaneously. The first module is coated by the SiO2 nanoparticles, and the second is uncoated and used as a reference. To maintain coherency, the experiments are done in the same environmental conditions, cleaning the PV modules at regular intervals. Results reveal that the accumulated energy generated during this period of study was comprehensively enhanced. Moreover, the self-cleaning property of the hydrophobic surface of the coated panel allowed water droplets to slide smoothly down the PV module surface, carrying dust particles. Useful recommendations are made at the end to enhance the performance of PV panels in dusty environments.