Poor Air Quality Affecting Solar Power Generation In India, Finds Study

Poor Air Quality Affecting Solar Power Generation In India, Finds Study

New data by Solargis, a solar data and software solutions company,  has revealed that solar irradiance witnesses a downfall during winter months in India. The data by the company says that India’s solar power generation is being significantly impacted by poor air quality during winter months.

Avik Mitra, business account manager, at Solargis, said, “January 2024 saw records broken for both the lowest average monthly temperature and lowest GHI. This had tangible impacts on the financial performance of solar projects across Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, which collectively host around 5 GW of installed capacity. But this has not been an isolated event.”

Mitra added, “There is an increasing need for Indian operators to move beyond hourly Typical Meteorological Year (TMY) data and towards higher resolution sub-hourly Time Series for more reliable performance evaluation. This allows analysis of solar power production in extreme weather, like severe fog and smog, and enhances understanding of PV plant behavior.”

As part of the study, the observation of the map has shown that high aerosol levels are having a direct impact on the performance of solar projects in the region. The study further throws light on the underperformance of solar panels during winter months as there is a dip in irradiance. According to new data from the company, in January 2024 Northern India experienced the poorest air quality in decades, with some localities facing persistent fog or smog lasting up to 20 days.

In addition to this recurring pattern of Winter underperformance in the North, operators in central India have faced a long-term trend of below-average irradiance, stretching back over the past 6 years.

Air pollution in northern India is a matter of grave concern, especially during the winter months when the temperature is low and smoke coming from the states of Punjab and Haryana after crop-residue burning leads to a toxic mixture in the atmosphere eventually blocking the sunlight. This is further exacerbated by low-hanging clouds in the sky and persistent smog affecting the sunlight reaching the ground.