Analyzing the impacts of wildfires on solar photovoltaic generation

Abstract

As the intensity and frequency of wildfires increase, understanding the effects of wildfires on solar energy sources is critical to illuminating future trends in energy. Previous studies show that concentrations of ~75 ug/m3 of PM2.5 decrease photovoltaic generation by ~20%. The purpose of this research study is to verify previous studies and analyze the impact of wildfires on photovoltaic generation in Golden, Colorado by interpreting particulate matter and photovoltaic data. This is done through a MATLAB framework code that imports and organizes 2020 datasets from PurpleAir and NREL to create plots that display data relationships. These plots demonstrate how photovoltaic generation changes under different concentrations of particulate matter, including the impact of cloud cover on the data. An understanding of this relationship will provide insight on adjusting energy sources to compensate for changes in photovoltaic generation due to increasing wildfires.