Solar energy output of India is reduced significantly by air pollution
Source: https://physicsworld.com/a/solar-energy-output-of-india-is-reduced-significantly-by-air-pollution/
Author: Hamish Johnston
Air pollution in India is reducing the energy output of some solar panels as much as 52%. That is the conclusion of researchers who have modelled the effects of particulate pollution on solar irradiance in 2001–2018. Solar energy is playing a crucial role in India’s transition to renewable energy. Having abundant insolation, the country was ranked fifth in the world for solar energy capacity in 2020. However, parts of India suffer from high and growing levels of particulate air pollution, which reduces the capacity of solar panels in two ways. First, particulates in the air block sunlight, reducing the amount that reaches panels in a process called atmospheric attenuation. Second, particulates build up on the surfaces of panels, blocking sunlight in what is called the soiling effect.