Ashesi Solar Panel Monitoring Network (ASMONET)

Dust soiling of solar PV panels affects their performance. Understanding the impact of this is particularly important in West Africa, where the Harmattan season comes with high levels of dust in the atmosphere.

This work aims to improve solar panel data availability in West Africa by designing a network of ground-based, IoT enabled PV sensor systems to be installed throughout the region. Each system will provide data on solar panel performance, key environmental parameters affecting dust soiling, soiling mass accumulation, and relative loss in power output. Once in place, the envisioned network will give researchers insight into regional solar panel performance and the reduction effects of environmental conditions such as air pollution and Harmattan. The collected data can be used to advance energy access goals by improving solar PV performance and models for soiling loss and, ultimately, aid in the design of reliable PV systems.