Effect of shadow and dust on the performmance of solar PV modules individually, collectively for PV power plant and solutions to increase the efficiency
Student name: Mr Upkari Nath Tripathi
Guide: Dr Ramkishore Singh
Year of completion: 2012
Host Organisation: Tata BP Solar, Bangalore
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Mr D. Balamurugan
Abstract: Solar PV is gaining versatile logo of power generation in world. Researchers are in the findings to
make efficient PV power plants. Dust and shadow are becoming major barriers against the energy
production from solar PV modules. Other key factors of losses are mismatch in PV modules (by
default production). Dust accumulation over the modules is one of the major issues. Now day‘s
researchers are motivated and engaged to find solutions for all above problems using different
techniques.
Solar PV engineering, procurement, construction and maintenance companies are also seeking skilled
manpower for handling these issues. For example, manual cleaning never looks optimistic approach
for MW scale PV plants. Frequency of cleaning, need of water in dry areas, really affects revenue
generation of PV plant. Therefore, researchers are trying solutions for problems by applying
microelectronics and mechatronics. In microelectronics, use of maximum power point tracking
(MPPT) converters at module level in series association, commercially known as ―power optimizers‖,
allows the individual adaptation of each panel to the load, solving part of the problems related to
shadow and mismatch by default production of modules and dusty environment.
Mechatronics based solutions are only used for cleaning of whole PV plant with proper water use.
Companies can‘t afford thousands of Optimizers on MW scale and it can‘t also be cost competitive in
the current market situation.
For shadow same situation is there, we know before survey, surveyors decide the location after
analyzing every barriers of shadow. Mechatronics seems to be useful in MW scale. Microelectronics
based solutions are seem to be feasible for rooftop or kW scale power plants. We will have to wait for
optimizers for MW scale till the cost reaches in economically feasible range.
Key Words: MPPT, Power Optimizers, Shading, Mismatch, Cleaning
