Dust-prone desert of the Southwest may be ideal for solar energy

Dusty desert conditions may be better for solar energy, UTEP study suggests

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The dust-prone desert of the Borderland may be ideal for solar energy, a new study at the University of Texas at El Paso found. Thursday, UTEP shared findings from a study conducted in Alamogordo, New Mexico, where researchers monitored six solar panels from 2022-2024. Twenty-two dust events happened during the research timeframe, UTEP said. Results suggested solar panels in Alamogordo lose only 2-3% of their power outpu…

Dust-prone desert of the Southwest may be ideal for solar energy

Solar energy developers eyeing parts of southern New Mexico may have less to worry about than expected when it comes to dust. A new study led by University of Texas at El Paso researchers concludes that photovoltaic panels in Alamogordo—a region battered by frequent dust storms carrying particles from the White Sands gypsum dune field—lose only about 2% to 3% of their power output to dust accumulation, a rate far lower than that of solar facilit…