Determination of Environmental and Economic Benefits of Graphene-Coated PV Modules Through the School Building

Abstract

Graphene coatings, which have many applications in electronics and biomedical, show high performance even when applied at a few nanometers thickness, and have also been applied in solar systems. When graphene is applied to the glass surface of photovoltaic (PV) modules, they result in more energy recovery and lower cleaning service fees due to their features such as high permeability, hydrophobic self-cleaning, and low dust retention. In this study, it was determined how much energy gain and CO₂ emission reduction could be achieved as a result of graphene-coating on PV modules compared to standard modules, and if PV modules are applied under Turkish conditions, the investment costs, payback period, and return on investment to the user after the payback period was determined. As a result of the calculations, although the initial investment cost of graphene coating is 0.78 %, more than the standard modules, it is concluded that it offers a lower payback period and high return on investment due to the amount of energy it produces, its ability to self-clean, and low dust retention.