Soiling: Task Group 12

Task group 12 examines the soiling of PV module, including detection of soiling, cleaning, impact on anti-reflective and anti-soiling coatings, modeling and analysis, and informative webinars.

Quarterly Webinars

These webinars exchange relevant information, facilitate networking, and aid research, development, and standards related to soiling of PV modules and systems. Past webinars are archived on the PB Works wiki. Topics have included: coating technologies for PV; economics of soiling loss and cleaning; soiling monitoring, aerosol, and particulate matter assessment networks; soiling in challenging locations (presentation and panel discussion); typical field conditions including wind velocity and momentum/energy of dust storms; health and human safety and dust storms; standards needed for the industry; modeling the effect of soiling on systems; and artificial soiling methods for repeatable laboratory tests.

Progress Update

Sensors and Monitoring

Task Group 12-1 focuses on issues related to sensors and the monitoring of soiling. The group contributed to the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard IEC 61724-1, which defines and specifies methods for quantifying the effect of soiling on PV systems. There is an interest in an interlaboratory study of the precision of new and old soiling sensor technologies.

Contact

To receive communications related to the Task Group 12-1 sensors and monitoring effort, contact Bing Guo (Texas A&M University at Qatar).

Cleaning Solutions

Task Group 12-2 focuses on cleaning solutions for soiling and accumulated contamination. Specific topics include developing the scientific basis for qualifying different cleaning methods (e.g., cleaning solutions, hand cleaning, and robotic cleaning), and identification of the issues that need to be included in the techno-economic analysis required for cost-effective cleaning.

Publications and Presentations

Soiling, Cleaning, and Abrasion: The Results of the 5-Year Photovoltaic Glass Coating Field Study
Authors: D. Miller, J. Bomber, A. Einhorn, C. Engtrakul, C. Lanaghan, J. Linger, L. Micheli, J. Morse, H. Moutinho, M. Muller, J. Newkirk, L. Simpson, B. To, S. Toth, T. Curtis, F. Li, G. TamizhMani, S. Tatapudi, V. Alberts, A. Al-Nuaimi, P. Banda, J. John, G. Mathiak, A. Safieh, M. Stefancich, B. Al-Abdulrazzaq, A. Al-Qattan, S. Bhaduri, A. Kottantharayil, B. Bourne, Z. deFreitas, F. Farina, G. Kimball, A. Hoffman
2024

The IEC 62788-7-3 Abrasion Methods Standard and Supporting Experiments at NREL on PV Surfaces and Coatings
Authors: Bomber, J.; Lanaghan, C.; Morse, J.; Miller, D.C.; Newkirk, J.M.; To, B.
March 2022

Dataset: PVQAT TG12 Field Soiling Coupon Experiment
Authors: Khan, I.S.; Morse, J.; White, R.R.; Miller, D.C.
October, 2021

Addressing Soiling: From Interface Chemistry to Practicality
Author Simpson, L.
March 2020

Solving the Soiling Problem for Solar Power Systems
Author: Jones, R.K.
Joule 3, 2294–2302, October 16, 2019

Evaluation of Soiling and Potential Mitigation Approaches on Photovoltaic Glass
Authors: Einhorn, A., Micheli, L., Miller, D.C., Simpson, L.J., Moutinho, H.R., To, B., Lanaghan, C.L., Muller, M.T., Toth, S., John, J.J., Warade, S., Kottantharayil, A., Engtrakul, C.,
Journal: IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics

Anti-Reflective and Anti-Soiling Coatings

Task Group 12-3 focuses on antireflective and/or anti-soiling coatings. The group has focused on PV-first surface (e.g., glass) abrasion that may result from cleaning and removal of contamination in addition to the direct effect (wear) from the natural environment. The group is contributing to a PV industry-specific standard related to abrasion. The IEC 62788-7-3 standard under development may have overlap with abrasion of backsheets, as well as vehicle-integrated PV.

Publications and Presentations

Review of Artificial Abrasion Test Methods for PV Module Technology
Authors: Miller, D. C., Muller, M. T., Simpson, L. J.
Technical Report: NREL/TP

Soiling and Cleaning: Initial Observations from 5-Year Photovoltaic Glass Coating Durability Study
Authors: Toth, S., Muller, M., Miller, D. C., Moutinho, H., To, B., Micheli, L., Linger, J., Engtrakul, C., Einhorn, A., and Simpson, L.
Journal: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

Soiling Related Abrasion and the Development of a PV Abrasion Standard
Authors: Miller, D. C., Einhorn, A., Engtrakul, C., Lanaghan, C. L., Micheli, L., Moutinho, H. R., Muller, M. T., To, B., Toth, S., and Simpson, L. J.
Workshop: International Soiling Workshop

The Abrasion of Photovoltaic Glass: A Comparison of the Effects of Natural and Artificial Aging
Authors: Miller, D.C., Einhorn, A., Lanaghan, C.L., Newkirk, J., To, B., Moutinho, H.R., Ndione, P.F., John, J.J., Simpson, L.J., Engtrakul, C.
Journal: IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics

Artificial Linear Brush Abrasion of Coatings for Photovoltaic Module First Surfaces
Authors: Newkirk, J.M.., Nayshevsky I., Sinha, A., Law A., Xu Q.-F., To, B., Ndione, P.F., Schelhas, L.T., Walls, J.M., Lyons A.M., Miller, D.C.
Journal: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

Modeling and Analysis

Task Group 12-4 focuses on modeling and analyzing the effects of soiling on PV systems. For example, the group is developing methods to determine soiling loss from the power production data from PV installations. Additionally, the group hopes to identify models that predict typical soiling losses at sites locations throughout the world.

Publications and Presentations

A Scalable Method for Extracting Soiling Rates from PV Production Data
Authors: Deceglie, M. G., Muller, M., Defreitas, Z., & Kurtz, S.
Conference: 2016 IEEE 43rd Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC)

Quantifying Soiling Loss Directly from PV Yield
Authors: Deceglie, M. G., Micheli, L., & Muller, M.
Journal: IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics

Task Leaders

David Miller, NREL
YuePeng Deng, First Solar

Other leaders and initiatives are welcome.