2MWh of photovoltaic containers from Iraq used at drilling sites

Does Iraq need a solar PV system?

The increasing global demand for renewable energy necessitates a comprehensive understanding of solar photovoltaic (PV) system performance and reliability, particularly in harsh climates such as Iraq. Despite ambitious targets to diversify its energy sector, Iraq faces challenges in the deployment of PV projects due to limited field experience.

How many solar power sites are there in Iraq?

In July 2019, Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity invited independent power producers to participate in developing seven PV solar power sites with a combined capacity of 755 megawatts (MW) in the range between 30 MW to 300 MW. Many local and foreign developers saw the announcement as a move forward in an attempt to diversify the country’s energy mix.

Are solar energy projects viable?

However, the lack of comprehensive data on PV performance and reliability in many of these nations introduces uncertainties when assessing the viability of PV projects. For example, countries like Iraq, have a promising potential for PV energy generation due to the amount of solar energy that the country receives per year.

Does soiling affect solar PV performance in Iraq?

While existing literature has extensively evaluated Iraq''s solar PV potential [7, 19, 20], and identified performance degradation due to soiling [, , ], there remains a critical gap in understanding long-term reliability aspects, including degradation by age or the combined effects of soiling and age-related degradation.