Clean and soiled PV modules on Green Energy Park test installations in Ben Guerir, Morocco.

Top quality research applied to real world projects

Green Energy Park (GEP) is a leading solar energy research center based in Morocco. With a strong knowledge on the local conditions and expertise on how harsh climates affect solar power performance, GEP was selected to support the development of a new large-scale PV project in the country.

Soiling is a major concern for PV systems in Morocco due to the dry climate, scarce rainfall, and frequent dust events. To reduce the risk of underperformance through a robust mitigation strategy, GEP partnered with PVRADAR to carry out a comprehensive soiling risk assessment and cleaning optimization.

Soiling measurement stations installed and monitored by Green Energy Park. The stations are located in different areas across the country.

Modeling future soiling losses with site data

Comparison between measured soiling data (red) and estimates generated using the PVRADAR Python Package (black) over a one-year period. The graph also includes a breakdown of rainfall data, distinguishing between measured values (blue) and satellite-derived estimates (green).

Soiling was calculated using the PVRADAR model, which combines over 20 years of satellite data, including particulate matter, wind, temperature, and rainfall. The impact on yield considered the plant design limitations such as mounting configuration and electrical limitations such as clipping, and curtailment.

GEP provided high quality soiling measurements from multiple sites across Morocco, used to fine tune the model and validate its accuracy. These ground level observations captured local effects that satellite data alone cannot detect, resulting in a more precise and site specific understanding of soiling.

Thanks to PVRADAR, we were able to leverage our local soiling measurements and transform them into valuable inputs for predictive modeling. This provided the accuracy we needed to make informed decisions about cleaning activities, based on real, site-specific insights

Abdellatif Ghennioui

Deputy Director

Early soiling assessment helps prevent future underperformance

With soiling risks clearly defined, the PVRADAR platform was used to simulate and compare different cleaning technologies, from manual crews to tractors and robotic solutions, based on detailed technical specifications and cost data.

The analysis helped GEP identify the cleaning strategy that delivers the highest benefit for the lowest cost, offering clear guidance on when to clean, how many systems to deploy, and how to maximize the cost-benefit of each cleaning cycle. These insights supported a data-driven procurement strategy before construction even began.

We now have a solid foundation and the data needed to determine how often to clean, which technology best fits our needs, and the expected return on investment. It's a level of certainty that's hard to achieve in early-stage development.

Mounir Abraim

R&D Project Manager

40% savings from selecting the right cleaning strategy

By adapting to real site conditions, the strategy ensures that cleaning is carried out only when it delivers clear economic value. The optimized cleaning plan developed with PVRADAR helps Green Energy Park recover soiling-related revenue losses in a cost-effective way, saving up to 40% in costs related to soiling losses and cleaning expenses.

This study confirmed that early-stage modeling can reveal huge opportunities. Making cleaning decisions based on real performance data instead of standard routines, can change the economics of an entire project.

Franco Clandestino

Head of Product & Co-Founder

Interested? Contact us.

PVRADAR assesses soiling losses for both future and existing projects with high accuracy,

helping you account for the real conditions at your power plant.