The Effects of Environmental Factors on Solar Power Plants: The Case of MEYSU Factory

Today, the use of fossil fuels to meet energy needs has become unsustainable due to their limited resources and environmental impacts. This situation has heightened the importance of clean, eco-friendly, and sustainable alternatives, particularly renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and biomass. Solar energy is the most widespread and effective among these alternatives. The efficiency of solar panels determines the success in converting sunlight falling on the panel surface into electricity. Generally, the efficiency of solar panels ranges between 15% and 20%, while in 2021, the best-performing panels were slightly below 23%. This efficiency depends on the type, design, and quality of the cells used, as well as the quality of the glass and other components. The collection and storage efficiency of a solar cell relies on the design of transparent conductors and the thickness of the active layer. Additionally, panel cleanliness is an important factor. For example, the rooftop solar energy system of the MEYSU factory, with an installed capacity of 2000 kW, meets approximately 25% of the company's energy needs. In this study, electricity production in conditions where the panels were dirty was compared with production values after cleaning, taking into account the environmental factors around the factory. The obtained data showed an increase of approximately 17.38% in electricity production by cleaning the panels. Thus, regularly cleaning the panels at certain intervals is very important for efficiency in solar power plants.