Abstract
Various environmental factors affect the reliability and efficiency of PV systems. Such as geographical factors such as longitude, latitude, and solar energy intensity, in addition to other environmental conditions such as temperature, wind, humidity, pollution, snow, rain, as well as dust. It significantly affects the performance and efficiency of photovoltaic systems. This paper aimed to study and conduct experiments to understand the characteristics of dust and it's on the electrical output of a grid-connected PV system established in September 2012 at the Libyan Center for Solar Energy Research and Studies (LCSERS) in Tripoli, Libya. Tripoli experiences hot and dusty weather conditions for most of the year, making dust a crucial factor affecting PV utilization. The findings revealed that dust accumulation on the surface of photovoltaic solar modules led to a decrease in both the short circuit current (Isc) and the overall output power, compared to clean modules. The study observed an average degradation rate of 6.1% for efficiencies 9.21% for the fill factor (FF) in indoor experiments, and 11.4% for efficiencies and 7.24% for FF in outdoor experiments. The findings solar panel of the PV-grid-connected system was taken after being exposed to weather conditions in the spring and summer of 2023. Furthermore, the research compared indoor and outdoor experimental results and established a reliable linear relationship. This relationship was found to be applicable for predicting the impact of dust on PV systems in Tripoli City, particularly in coastal areas with similar weather conditions. This study emphasizes the importance of taking into account the factor of dust accumulation on photovoltaic panels when sizing systems, in order to improve performance and avoid breakdown in the efficiency of the panels, especially in areas with coastal and desert environmental characteristics.