Abstract:
Solar modules deployed in industrial areas have the potential to conserve a
significant quantity of national grid electricity; nevertheless, the accessibility of
industrial contaminants and emissions creates an unusual surrounding environment
for industrial PV plants. Thus, evaluating the performance of industrial solar power
plants and highlighting any disruptive agent is crucial for their reliable and feasible
operation. The current study investigates the deterioration of a 101 kW On-Grid PV
system installed in the aluminum industry that has a newly discovered degrading
defect, namely the localized partial cell soiling on industrial PV system, which hasn’t
been seen or identified in classic studies specifically on industrial PV systems
operating on ideal conditions. The underperformance of a solar power plant is
identified using comparisons between PVsyst simulation results and real plant
performance metrics. Moreover, assessment analysis is presented by using
characterization techniques such as FESEM, EDX, XRD, and FTIR. The results
show that the actual yield (57807 kWh DC and 56,031 kWh AC), array captured
losses (12.257 h/day Lc), array system losses (0.57 h/day Ls), and performance ratio
(51%) all differ from the projected yield (89637 kWh DC and 86392 kWh AC), array
captured losses (6.256 h/day Lc), array system losses (1.067 h/day Ls), and
performance ratio (79%). Additionally, the performance analysis of the strings
connected to both inverters demonstrates that the underperformance is caused by the
newly originating defect since the PV-defected inverter strings perform worse than
the other one. According to the characterization techniques, the industrial residue
material of a specific section of the aluminum industry and the material accumulated
on specific cells of panels have similar chemical, morphological, and elemental
compositions. BaSO4 is found to be the common compound in both materials. Future
PV designs, particularly those aimed at the industrial sector, will benefit from the
knowledge of the industrial PV system's defect-originating material characteristics
and underperformance.
