The Norwegian research team evaluated snow accumulations of solar panels and the resulting energy losses with the PVsyst software and used the so-called Marion’s algorithm (MA) for estimating the slip factor. It found that the coatings can effectively reduce energy losses from snow and ice, but said the commercial feasibility of these materials should be further investigated.
“The additional solar energy production that can be achieved with this solution depends on the climate conditions where the case study is located,” said Mattia Manni, the head of the study. pv magazine. “It depends especially on the amount of snow and ice accumulated on the surface of the solar energy during the year.
Manni also explained that The anti-icing materials tested on solar modules are still not far on the market because they break down quickly. “Therefore, it is not possible to provide information on their costs and the economic profitability of the interventions for the time being,” he stated.
The research team evaluated the snow accumulations of the solar panels and the resulting energy losses with the PVsyst software and used the so-called Marion’s Algorithm (MA) in estimating the slip factor.
“The proposed workflow moves from evaluating PV panel snow accumulation and the resulting reduction in POA radiation to evaluating the impact of ice-phobic nanomaterials on snow loss,” the team explained, noting that this evaluation was done. to three locations in Norway – Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim.
Using this analysis between November and April, the researchers found that the snow loss was 32.75 kWh/m2 25.05 kWh/m in Oslo2 in Trondheim and 5.85 kWh/m2 in Bergen. The use of ice-phobic coatings reduced the energy loss by 12.05 kWh/m2 In Oslo 10.00 kWh/m2 in Trondheim and 3.35 kWh/m2 in Bergen.
“Therefore, the efficiency of ice-phobic coatings is equal to 65% in Oslo, 60% in Trondheim and 45% in Bergen,” they added, stressing that this data should be verified by integrating it with other experimental data obtained from several high-latitude locations and PV systems, while when performing a sensitivity analysis on the ice adhesion strength of solar panels.
Their findings are available in the study “Effect of Icephobic Nanomaterial Coatings on Solar Panels at High Latitudes, published Solar energy.
