Case Study - How Do Photocatalytic Ceramic Coatings Improve Solar Asset Performance?
Can photocatalytic ceramic coatings bring more value that just "PV self-cleaning properties"? The application of photocatalytic ceramic coatings on solar panels typically reduce soiling cementation levels, protect anti-reflective coatings and are "self-cleaning" reducing overall PV soiling levels, however in this case study we can see that they also increment the solar assets performance.
The following case study took place in Riesa, Germany.
The photocatalytic ceramic nano-coating was applied on one of the strings of the solar system in Riesa, Germany. This document will show some data extracted from the monitoring system proving an increase in yield of power through the application of Nano-coating. The graph is an Amper-hour graph, which shows the behavior of the current each hour of the day November 25th, 2023. Keep in mind that the current is directly proportional to Power, meaning the change of current corresponds to the change of power.
The data of the graph are the data of six different strings connected to the same Inverter. String number 6 which is presented in blue has been coated with the Nano-Technology. A huge assumption is made, where all the strings have the same angle of incidence with the same number of solar panels. A deeper look in the string plan (DC-Plan) is needed to confirm this assumption. At 09:30 an increase of 52-65% was noticed in the generated current. Other examples of an increase of current-yield would be the 19th of November 2023.
A similar increase of 61-81% is also noticed at 09:30AM. This increase seems to be consistent in time of the day with the previous example. An explanation of the increase at specifically 09:30 AM is yet to be studied and found. This increase however has not been consistent on a daily-basis. On some days, specifically November 17th, 2023, the coated string behaves normally according to the rest of the strings of the same inverter. As if no Nano-coating was applied!
A broader, more general view is needed to confirm that the Nano-coating does indeed affect the solar power generated positively. Thus the monthly and yearly graph of the solar system have been generated.
The graph shows a noticeable superior performance of the 6th string, which is Nano-coated and presented in blue, in comparison to the other strings. On the specific examples of the 25th of November an increase of 12-22% was noticed throughout the entire day. Whereas on the 19th an increase of 1-9% was noticed. However, on the 17th the string behaved as if no Nano-coating was applied. The upcoming figure shows the results:
The Nano-coated string did not achieve the best current-yield during that day, and had a similar current to the other strings. All in all and until December of 2023, The solar coating has proved to increase the current-yield throughout the year. In the month of November, 3-9% increase of current-yield was noticed based on the graph below.
