Effect of soiling loss in solar photovoltaic modules and relation with particulate matter concentration in nearby mining and industrial sites

Soiling loss is the power loss in solar photovoltaic (PV) generation systems due to atmospheric solid particle deposition over PV modules. Anthropogenic activities such as vehicle traffic, mining, industrial, and construction work increase the concentration of particulate matter in the atmosphere. This work presents a model of the soiling losses due to dust deposition on solar PV installations in Dhanbad. The atmospheric concentrations near three coal mining areas and two stone-cutting industries are collected and compared to the urban air quality. The transmission losses from dust deposition are estimated, measured, and compared with outdoor and indoor experiments. The cumulative dust deposition accounts for 5.99–12.81% soiling loss if the modules are not cleaned for one month. Dust distribution over tilted surfaces can be non-uniform, causing partial shading conditions. The annual water requirement for cleaning 1 m² of the PV modules ranges from 6 to 36.5 L to limit the soiling loss below 3%. The soiling loss is higher in February, October, and November.