The Cleaning Effect of Photovoltaic Modules According to Precipitation in the Operation Stage of a Large-Scale Solar Power Plant

Wonkyun Jo, Namhyuk Ham (), Juhyung Kim and Jaejun Kim
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Wonkyun Jo: Procurement Division, Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., 75 Yulgok-ro Jongno-gu, Seoul 03058, Republic of Korea
Namhyuk Ham: Department of Urban Infra System Engineering, Hanyang Cyber University, 220 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
Juhyung Kim: Department of Architectural Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Science and Technology Hall, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
Jaejun Kim: Department of Architectural Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Science and Technology Hall, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 17, 1-18

Abstract: A large-scale solar power plant costs a lot of money in the early stage of development and is greatly affected by the natural environment. Therefore, efficient operation is very important. The purpose of this study is to analyze the cleaning effect of photovoltaic modules according to precipitation during the operation stage of a large-scale solar power plant. The first analysis compared ‘average power generation on sunny days under standard cloudiness from after precipitation to the next precipitation’ and ‘average daily power generation per quarter’ and confirmed that precipitation had an effect on increasing power generation by 26%. The second analysis compared ‘average power generation on sunny days under the standard cloudiness from after precipitation to the next precipitation’ and ‘average daily power generation on a clear day just before precipitation’. It was confirmed that the average power generation efficiency of the entire sample increased by 4.8% on average after precipitation than before precipitation. This study quantitatively analyzed the cleaning effect of photovoltaic modules by precipitation through actual power generation data of large-scale solar power plants. This study has sufficient value in establishing an operation manual for decision-making on the appropriate input cost for cleaning photovoltaic modules and improvement of power generation efficiency.

Keywords: precipitation; photovoltaic module; cleaning effect; large-scale solar power plant (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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