emirates7 - Chinese scientists have developed an advanced forecasting system called iDust, which significantly improves the accuracy of dust storm predictions—a major step forward for the solar energy sector.
As reported by China's People's Daily Online, this innovation addresses a key obstacle to renewable energy generation in arid regions, where dust storms can severely impact solar panel performance.
The project, led by researchers at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was recently published in the Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems.
“Dust storms not only obstruct sunlight but also leave residue on solar panels, diminishing their energy output,” explained Chen Xi, a researcher from the IAP.
With China rapidly expanding its solar infrastructure in desert zones, accurate and timely dust storm forecasts have become essential to avoid operational disruptions and financial setbacks. Existing systems, like those from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), fall short in terms of resolution and processing speed.
iDust addresses these shortcomings by embedding dust processes directly into its model’s dynamical core. This approach delivers higher-resolution forecasts with only a modest increase in computing demands compared to traditional weather models.
The system can produce detailed 10-day dust forecasts within just six hours of collecting observational data—far faster and more precise than current ECMWF models, which require more time and offer less detail.
As reported by China's People's Daily Online, this innovation addresses a key obstacle to renewable energy generation in arid regions, where dust storms can severely impact solar panel performance.
The project, led by researchers at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was recently published in the Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems.
“Dust storms not only obstruct sunlight but also leave residue on solar panels, diminishing their energy output,” explained Chen Xi, a researcher from the IAP.
With China rapidly expanding its solar infrastructure in desert zones, accurate and timely dust storm forecasts have become essential to avoid operational disruptions and financial setbacks. Existing systems, like those from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), fall short in terms of resolution and processing speed.
iDust addresses these shortcomings by embedding dust processes directly into its model’s dynamical core. This approach delivers higher-resolution forecasts with only a modest increase in computing demands compared to traditional weather models.
The system can produce detailed 10-day dust forecasts within just six hours of collecting observational data—far faster and more precise than current ECMWF models, which require more time and offer less detail.