Performance improvement techniques for photovoltaic systems in Qatar: Results of first year of outdoor exposure

The state of Qatar has established firm renewable energy deployment targets for the next decade, using primarily solar photovoltaic technologies. Qatar, in the Arabian Peninsula, is in the MENA Region, where the solar resource is fairly abundant, but local environmental conditions are challenging, particularly, high ambient temperatures all-year round, a dusty atmosphere due to high aerosol content, and water scarcity, which impact negatively on PV system performance and reliability. The Solar Test Facility (STF) at the Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP) was founded in 2012 for the main purpose of contributing to the achievement of Qatar's sustainable energy technology deployment targets. STF provides scientific and technical capabilities for testing and evaluation of solar technologies under the specific local climate conditions. This paper presents the results of outdoor exposure of a specific model of multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) photovoltaic (PV) modules after their first complete year of operation at STF. The impact of module cleaning frequency, use of commercial anti-soiling coatings and module mounting on either fixed, one-axis-tracking or two-axis-tracking systems was studied. These results give some indication of the next steps to be taken and the solutions that would eventually work for the improvement of both the energy yield and the durability of PV systems deployed in this region. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.