Study the Effects of Coal Dust on Photovoltaic Plants in Chile

An international research team studied the PV impact of emissions from a coal power plant in the Atacama desert and found that, after five months of exposure, dust deposited in photovoltaic panels placed at the same site reached a maximum of 1.63 mg/cm2, with a 23% reduction in the photocurrent. The accumulation in the co-located plant was 3 times higher than in nearby photovoltaic sites with similar coastal climatic conditions.