Modeling the Direct Impacts of PV Systems on Surface Energy Balance and Climate in Phoenix

Photovoltaic (PV) systems are popular in desert environments where clear skies are common throughout the year. Previous research has shown that solar power can decrease greenhouse gas emissions and potentially mitigate global warming. However, the effects of PV systems on surface energy balance and near-surface meteorology are not well understood. As such, the holistic impacts of PV systems on climate and urban temperatures remain unclear. Using a detailed observational data set of PV surface energy balance, we developed a PV model to assess PV-atmosphere interactions. We evaluated the PV model performance against independent observational data and find that it captures turbulent flux dynamics and PV energy production. We apply the PV energy balance in Phoenix, Arizona (arid urban setting) to assess the direct climate impacts of PV in urban areas.