Hot and Humid Climates
- Degradation Factors: In hot and humid climates, solar panels face increased degradation due to both thermal and hydrolytic effects. High temperatures can cause thermal degradation, while humidity facilitates hydrolysis—a chemical reaction that affects materials like EVA encapsulants used in solar panels.
- Degradation Rates: Studies have shown that hot and humid conditions lead to higher degradation rates compared to cooler and drier environments. For example, a study found that such regions can experience almost twice the degradation rate of cooler climates, with a potential increase in degradation rates over time due to climate change.
- Examples: In northern parts of Australia, which have a hot and humid climate, degradation rates are higher compared to central Australia’s drier conditions.
Desert Climates
- Degradation Factors: Desert climates are characterized by high temperatures and intense sunlight. While these conditions also lead to thermal degradation, the lack of humidity in desert climates reduces hydrolytic degradation compared to humid regions.
- Degradation Rates: In desert regions, such as Libya and Phoenix, AZ, the degradation rates have been reported around 1% per year, which is similar to hot and humid climates under certain conditions but can be influenced by dust and other factors unique to desert environments.
- Examples: Studies in desert regions often report higher degradation due to extreme temperatures and UV exposure, but the absence of humidity might prevent some degradation mechanisms seen in humid climates.
In summary, both hot and humid climates and desert climates can lead to significant solar panel degradation. However, hot and humid conditions may accelerate degradation through additional mechanisms like hydrolysis, while desert climates primarily face thermal and UV-induced degradation. Climate-specific design and maintenance strategies are essential to mitigate these effects and ensure the longevity of solar panels in diverse environments.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/how-does-the-degradation-rate-of-solar-panels-differ-between-hot-and-humid-climates-versus-desert-climates/
