The effect of soiling on the efficiency of solar panels In West Africa
Date
2022-05
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Abstract
Solar energy has experienced accelerated interest worldwide, including in Africa, due to
pressure from environmental organizations and international institutions to decarbonize the energy
supply system. To maximize the power output from solar panels and increase their efficiency,
there is a need to understand how photovoltaic systems are affected by external factors such as
dust particles in different geographical locations. Soiling is a problem that can severely affect the
viability of PV systems resulting in substantial economic losses. This research project investigates
the effect of the accumulation of dust particles on the efficiency of PV modules at one location in
the Eastern region of Ghana. This is accomplished by setting up an experiment with a power
tracking device that can measure panel performance and elicit its relationship with key
environmental conditions. The data obtained from the setup is then analyzed and compared against
similar experiments done in other parts of the world, especially the one done by Coello and Boyle
in the US. If the data obtained from our research does not obey the models developed by Coello
and Boyle, it is then used to model the relationship between dust accumulation on the panel and
the drop in efficiency of solar panels.
Description
Capstone Project submitted to the Department of Engineering, Ashesi University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, May 2022
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Capstone Project
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Keywords
renewable energy generation