Soiling due to dust, snow and other atmospheric particles is the most influential factor impacting photovoltaic (PV) system yield, second only to sunlight availability (irradiance). This issue is particularly critical in arid regions, such as Madagascar, where dust accumulation can significantly affect the performance of large, utility-scale PV plant. The impact of soiling leads to substantial energy losses, estimated at 3-5% of annual PV energy production, which corresponds to economic losses from increased operational costs, cleaning requirements and capital expenditure.
Soiling affects solar PV systems across a variety of climates, from equatorial regions with elevated dust levels to high-latitude areas where snow cover can reduce efficiency, as PV installations expand in these locations. Therefore, addressing this problem requires innovative solutions to monitor and mitigate the effects of soiling on energy yield.
The Materials Innovation Centre (MatIC) is a strategic partnership between the University of Leicester, renowned for its world-class research and high quality teaching, and international research and technology organisation TWI Ltd. Among other core areas such as materials development, performance, characterisation and analysis, physical metallurgy of welding, failure mechanism of weldments, computational mechanics and material process modelling, electrochemistry and chemical synthesis, MatIC specialises in the development and testing of the behaviour and performance of advanced materials and coatings aimed at minimising the impact of soiling on PV systems, thereby enhancing their efficiency and operational lifespan.
Utilising state-of-the-art facilities for materials characterisation, the MatIC team leverages expertise in advanced characterisation tools and techniques, such as high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), , transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Visible spectroscopy, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), spectrophotometry and environmental performance evaluation in simulated conditions. This expertise enables the University of Leicester to analyse and develop solutions tailored to the unique challenges of PV soiling, provide critical data and innovative approaches for optimising PV performance across diverse environments.
Through this research and development, MatIC is driving forward solutions that support the global renewable energy sector in maximising PV system efficiency, leading to reduced maintenance costs and the advancement of sustainable energy production worldwide.