EVALUATION OF SOILING EFFECTS ON PV MODULES AND DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE LOW COST CLEANING SOLUTIONS: SOME OUTPUTS OF SOLEIL INNO-PV PROJECT

摘要

This paper summarizes some results obtained from the studies performed in the framework of SOLEIL Inno-PV project co-funded by the Moroccan Institute for Research in Solar Energy and New Energies (IRESEN). This project is focused on the study of soiling impact on PV panels and development of innovative low cost cleaning solutions. We start by presenting an experimental simulation of the effects of soiling on solar PV glass using a test bench that we have performed at home laboratory. The first tests conducted on this bench have been validated by other experimental studies performed in outdoor conditions. From the results obtained it has been concluded that the test bench developed has approached the mechanism of the deposition of soiling phenomenon. After, an experimental approach to evaluate the soiling rate via the performance ratio using solar front-glass has been detailed. The aim of this study is to present a simple and low cost soiling measurement protocol for PV modules. A comprehensive study of exposed solar glass samples according to two different exposition angles 0° and 45° has been also conducted. The study has included a close comparison of soiling distribution and optical transmittance of the samples. This was analyzed by presentation of the loss trend due to soiling and which has marked 2.25% during two months of dry period. In the last part of the work, an innovative and very low cost cleaning technique for dynamic photovoltaic panels on solar bi-axial tracker produced by Helioslite was developed and implemented. This relevant and competitive technique doesn't need any energy supply because it works using only the force of gravity. The cleaning tests were carried out and validated using an optimal design of the cleaning system prototype of the real bi-axial tracker that has been developed locally. The results of the tests have been taken into consideration to realize the cleaning technique in real dimensions and normal operating conditions.