Performance Analysis of Photovoltaic Panel Output under Dust Deposition and Wind-Speed Variability: An Experimental Study in Guwahati, Assam
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67440/ahj.v21i5s.1412Keywords:
Photovoltaic panel, PV performance, dust deposition, wind speed, soiling loss, Guwahati, solar energy, performance ratio, module temperature, renewable energyAbstract
The study looks into how dust deposition and wind-speed variability affect photovoltaic (PV) panel output in Guwahati, Assam, which is a humid subtropical urban environment where rainfall, humidity, airborne particulates and seasonal solar resource variability jointly affect rooftop solar performance. The experimental rationale involved comparing a cleaned reference solar cell module and a naturally soiled solar cell module under the same tilt, orientation, and electrical load. Environmental variables comprise solar irradiance, ambient temperature, module temperature, wind speed, relative humidity, rainfall, PM10 and PM2.5, and gravimetric dust deposition density. The voltage, current, power, energy yield, conversion efficiency, performance ratio, soiling ratio and temperature-corrected power are the PV variables. Due to unavailability of measured field data, a clearly identified 60-day simulated/provisional dataset was developed to show the statistical workflow. The demonstration analysis revealed that the soiled module was capable of producing a lower power mean than the cleaned reference module, which resulted in a mean simulated soiling loss of 3.57%. A significant paired difference could also be observed. The correlation and regression analyses reveal that irradiance remains the most significant positive predictor of PV output. Similarly, dust deposition has a negative, statistically significant association with soiled module output. Wind velocity plays a dual role. It contributes to cooling through convection and partially removes dust from the atmosphere. However, the net impact is contingent upon the dust and humidity levels. The study provides an analytical framework for field validation in Guwahati. Moreover, it recommends spectral rain events monitoring, cleaning decisions informed by rainfall, as well as journal submission all provisional values measured observations.
