The impact of photovoltaic (PV) installations on downwind particulate matter concentrations: Results from field observations at a 550 MW<sub>ac</sub> utility scale PV plant
Creators: name: Dwarakanath Ravikumar
name: Parikhit Sinha
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2017
Subjects: subject: Space Science
subject: Medicine
subject: Microbiology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: 59999 Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: FOS: Earth and related environmental sciences
subject: FOS: Earth and related environmental sciences
subject: Ecology
subject: Sociology
subject: FOS: Sociology
subject: FOS: Sociology
subject: 69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified

description: With utility-scale photovoltaic(PV) projects increasingly developed in dry and dust-prone geographies with high solar insolation, there is a critical need to analyze the impacts of PV installations on the resulting particulate-matter(PM) concentrations which have environmental and health impacts. This study is the first to quantify the impact of a utility-scale PV plant on PM concentrations downwind of the project site. Background, construction and post-construction PM<sub>2.5</sub> and PM<sub>10</sub> concentration data are collected from four beta attenuation monitor(BAM) stations over 3 years. Based on this data, we evaluate the hypothesis that PM emissions from land occupied by a utility-scale PV installation is reduced after project construction through a wind shielding effect. The results show that the (1)confidence interval of the mean PM concentration during construction overlaps with or is lower than background concentration for three of the four BAM stations, and (2)post-construction PM<sub>2.5</sub> and PM<sub>10</sub> concentrations downwind of the PV installation are significantly lower than the background concentration at three of the four BAM stations. At the fourth BAM station, downwind post-construction PM<sub>2.5</sub> and PM<sub>10</sub> concentrations increased marginally by 5.7% and 2.6% of the 24-hour ambient air-quality standards defined by EPA, respectively, when compared to background concentration, with the PM<sub>2.5</sub> increase being statistically insignificant. This increase may be due to vehicular emissions from an access road near the southwest corner of the site or a drainage berm near the south station. The findings demonstrate the overall environmental benefit of downwind PM emission abatement from a utility-scale PV installation in desert conditions due to wind shielding. With PM emission reductions observed within 10 months of completion of construction, post-construction monitoring of downwind PM levels may be reduced to a 1-year period for other projects with similar soil and weather conditions. Implication StatementThis study is the first to analyze impact of a utility photovoltaic(PV) project on downwind particulate matter(PM) concentration in desert conditions. The PM data was collected at four beta attenuation monitor stations over a 3-year period. The post-construction PM concentration is lower than background at 3 of 4 stations, therefore, supporting the hypothesis of post-construction wind shielding from PV installations. With PM emission reductions observed within 10 months of completion of construction, post-construction monitoring of downwind PM levels may be reduced to a 1-year period for other PV projects with similar soil and weather conditions. Implication Statement This study is the first to analyze impact of a utility photovoltaic(PV) project on downwind particulate matter(PM) concentration in desert conditions. The PM data was collected at four beta attenuation monitor stations over a 3-year period. The post-construction PM concentration is lower than background at 3 of 4 stations, therefore, supporting the hypothesis of post-construction wind shielding from PV installations. With PM emission reductions observed within 10 months of completion of construction, post-construction monitoring of downwind PM levels may be reduced to a 1-year period for other PV projects with similar soil and weather conditions.