Are Nano-Composite Coatings the Key for Photovoltaic Panel Self-Maintenance: An Experimental Evaluation

Abstract

This article shows the influence of an anti-fouling nano-coating on the electrical energy produced by a string of photovoltaic modules. The coating effect was evaluated comparing the energy produced by two strings of the same PV power plant: one of them was cleaned and the other was cleaned and treated with the coating before the monitoring campaign. The PV plant is located in Modena, north of Italy. A first monitoring campaign of nine days after the treatment shows that the treatment increases the energy production on the PV arrays by about 1.82%. Results indicate that the increase is higher during sunny days with respect to cloudy days. A second monitoring campaign of the same length, but five months later, shows that the energy gain decreases from 1.82% to 0.69% due to the aging of the coating, which is guaranteed for one year by the manufacturer. A technical-economical analysis demonstrates that at the moment the yearly economic gain is 0.43 € per square meter of panel and the cost of the treatment is about 1 € per square meter. However, large scale diffusion can reduce the production cost and thus increase the affordability of the coating.

Overview of Factors Affecting Dust Deposition on Photovoltaic Cells and Cleaning Methods

“…Summarizing the most effective cleaning methods, washing by spraying purified water is the most effective cleaning method [168]. However, this method requires a large amount of water, which is rare in countries with dry climates [169].…”

Synthesis of transparent thermal insulation coating for efficient solar cells

“…Apart from low-cost materials, natural dyes using organic materials also showed an improvement in the efficiency of solar cells (El-Agez et al , 2014; Taya et al , 2014; Abdel-Latif et al , 2015). There is a portion of solar irradiation which is converted into heat dissipation on the solar panel, which later increases the temperature of photovoltaic (PV) cells (Pedrazzi et al , 2018). As the temperature increases, the bandgap of the intrinsic semiconductor shrinks.…”

Study on the Effects of Microstructural Surfaces on the Attachment of Moving Microbes

“…Antifouling technology is beneficial for energy, marine, and other industries. The maintenance of power plant equipment, the development and utilization of new energies [1,2], and ship protection [3,4] are the main fields of antifouling research. Biofouling generally occurs on the surface of offshore power plant equipment, especially cooling system pipelines, and with a deep attachment, it causes energy loss and pipeline blockage.…”