@misc{10481/106774,
year = {2025},
month = {9},
url = {https://hdl.handle.net/10481/106774},
abstract = {Soiling is one of the main performance risks for bifacial photovoltaic (PV) technology,
particularly in arid environments such as the Atacama Desert, where dust is deposited
asymmetrically on the front and rear surfaces of the modules. This study evaluates one
year (July 2022 to June 2023) of soiling behavior in bifacial modules installed in fixed-tilt
and horizontal single-axis tracking (HSAT) configurations, enabling a comparison to be
made between static and moving structures. The average dust accumulation was found
to be 0.33 mg/cm2 on the front surface and 0.15 mg/cm2 on the rear surface of the fixed
modules. In contrast, the respective values for the HSAT systems were found to be lower
at 0.25 mg/cm2 and 0.035 mg/cm2
. These differences resulted in performance losses of
5.8% for fixed modules and 3.7% for HSAT systems. Microstructural analysis revealed
that wetting and drying cycles had formed dense, cemented layers on the front surface
of fixed modules, whereas tracking modules exhibited looser deposits. Natural cleaning
events, such as fog, dew and frost, only provided partial and temporary mitigation. These
findings demonstrate that bifaciality introduces differentiated soiling dynamics between
the front and rear surfaces, emphasizing the importance of tailored cleaning strategies
and the integration of monitoring systems that consider bifacial gain as a key operational
parameter. These insights are crucial for developing predictive models and cost-effective
O&M strategies in large-scale bifacial PV deployments under desert conditions.},
organization = {MICIU/AEI y European Union — NextGenerationEU/PRTR
(RYC2021-031958-I)},
organization = {ANID/FONDAP
(1523A0006)},
organization = {Chilean Economic Development Agency (CORFO)
(17PTECES-75830)},
organization = {ANID/Fondecyt
(1210490)},
organization = {ANID — Millennium Science Initiative Program
(NCN2021_021)},
organization = {ANID/FONDEQUIP
(EQM 220028)},
organization = {European Commission — Horizon Europe, HORIZON-INFRA-2023-DEV-01-06
(101132182 — CACTUS project)},
publisher = {MDPI},
keywords = {soiling},
keywords = {bifacial photovoltaic modules},
keywords = {cementation},
title = {Soiling Dynamics and Cementation in Bifacial Photovoltaic Modules Under Arid Conditions: A One-Year Study in the Atacama Desert},
doi = {10.3390/en18184999},
author = {Taquichiri, Abel and Olivares, Douglas and Marzo, Aitor and Valencia, Felipe and Galleguillos-Madrid, Felipe M. and Gaete, Martin and Fuentealba, Edward},
}