TY - JOUR AU - Varga, György AU - Gresina, Fruzsina AU - Gelencsér, András AU - Csávics, Adrienn AU - Rostási, Ágnes TI - The shadow of the wind: the impact of Saharan dust on photovoltaic power generation in the Mediterranean JF - RENEWABLE ENERGY J2 - RENEW ENERGY VL - 256 PY - 2026 SN - 0960-1481 DO - 10.1016/j.renene.2025.124337 UR - https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/36324029 ID - 36324029 AB - The increasing frequency and intensity of Saharan Dust Events (SDEs) in Europe poses a significant challenge to the reliability of photovoltaic (PV) energy systems. This study examines SDE effects on solar power in five Mediterranean countries – Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, and Greece – from 2019 to 2023, using dust data, PV statistics, and meteorological analysis. The findings of this study demonstrate that SDEs reduce PV output by an average of 25–40 %, with losses exceeding 50 % during extreme events. In Portugal this decline was 10.1–29.3 %, 16.3–19.8 % in Spain; 4.4–40.5 % in France; 13.9–36.8 % in Italy and 20.1–40.9 % in Greece, during the highest dust levels. Solar irradiance drops are due to both dust-induced attenuation and increased cirrus cloud formation from enhanced ice nucleation. Analysis of recent dust storms shows consistent day-ahead PV forecast errors, with underestimations up to −15 % in Portugal and Spain, and overestimations up to +10 % in Italy and Greece, highlighting the need for improved models that incorporate aerosol-cloud interactions. The results highlight the need for improved forecasting that includes real-time dust monitoring and cloud processes. As SDEs increase with climate change, accounting for dust-related uncertainties is crucial for reliable grid operation and solar power planning in southern Europe. LA - English DB - MTMT ER - TY - JOUR AU - Varga, György AU - Gresina, Fruzsina AU - Gelencsér, András AU - Csávics, A AU - Rostási, Ágnes TI - Saharan dust and cirrus clouds: Dominating indirect impact of dust events on photovoltaic energy generation in Hungary (2019–2024) JF - SOLAR ENERGY J2 - SOL ENERGY VL - 307 PY - 2026 SN - 0038-092X DO - 10.1016/j.solener.2026.114385 UR - https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/36905878 ID - 36905878 LA - English DB - MTMT ER - TY - CHAP AU - Varga, György AU - Fruzsina, Gresina AU - Gelencsér, András AU - Adrienn, Csávics AU - Rostási, Ágnes TI - Beyond aerosol extinction: dominant indirect effects of Saharan dust on photovoltaic energy production in Central Europe T2 - Egu26 General Assembly PB - European Geosciences Union (EGU) CY - Bécs PY - 2026 DO - 10.5194/egusphere-egu26-17282 UR - https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/37021335 ID - 37021335 AB - Saharan dust outbreaks are increasingly affecting Europe, yet their impact on photovoltaic (PV) energy production is still predominantly interpreted through the lens of direct aerosol radiative attenuation. This study demonstrates that such an approach substantially underestimates the other influence of dust on solar energy generation, as the dominant mechanism operates indirectly through dust-induced modifications of cirrus clouds. We analyse six years (2019-2024) of national-scale PV generation data from Hungary, a Central European country where solar power accounted for approximately 25% of total electricity generation by 2024. PV production data are combined with reanalysis- and satellite-based atmospheric datasets, including dust column mass density from MERRA-2, cirrus cloud properties from MODIS, and surface irradiance from the CAMS Radiation Service. PV performance is quantified using a dynamically fitted production envelope, allowing generation losses to be assessed independently of capacity growth and seasonal variability. Our results reveal that the largest PV yield reductions occur not during high-dust conditions alone, but when elevated dust loads coincide with enhanced cirrus cloud coverage and reflectance. Under such combined conditions, PV performance ratios fall to approximately 46%, compared to values exceeding 75% during low-dust, low-cirrus periods. During high-dust episodes, cirrus reflectance increases by about 55%, while cirrus coverage rises by 60-85%, providing clear observational evidence of strong aerosol-cloud interactions. Seasonal analysis shows that these indirect effects peak during the transitional seasons (spring and autumn), when thermodynamic conditions favour heterogeneous ice nucleation on mineral dust particles. To disentangle direct and indirect pathways, we apply both linear and non-linear (quadratic) mediation frameworks, supported by block bootstrap resampling to ensure robust statistical inference. The bootstrap analysis consistently demonstrates that the indirect, cirrus-mediated pathway is statistically significant and more stable than the direct dust effect. While direct aerosol extinction can be strong during extreme dust events, its influence is episodic and highly state-dependent. In contrast, dust-induced cirrus enhancement represents a persistent and dominant mechanism governing PV efficiency losses across dust regimes. These findings indicate that the radiative impact of Saharan dust on solar energy production is fundamentally a coupled dust-cirrus phenomenon rather than a simple aerosol-extinction problem. As the frequency and intensity of transcontinental dust intrusions are projected to increase under future climate conditions, explicitly accounting for aerosol-cloud interactions is essential for reliable PV performance assessment, energy planning, and the stability of increasingly solar-dominated power systems. The research was supported by the Sustainable Development and Technologies National Programme of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (FFT NP FTA) and NRDI projects TKP2021-NKTA-21 and RRF-2.3.1-21-2021. LA - English DB - MTMT ER - TY - JOUR AU - Gresina, Fruzsina AU - Szalai, Zoltán AU - Zacháry, Dóra AU - Kiss, Klaudia AU - Madarász, Balázs AU - Angyal, Zsuzsanna AU - Jakab, Gergely Imre AU - Darabos, Gabriella AU - Varga, György TI - Combined effect of a pretreatment and optical settings on the laser diffraction particle size distribution of soils and sediments JF - JOURNAL OF SOILS AND SEDIMENTS J2 - J SOIL SEDIMENT VL - 25 PY - 2025 SP - 160 EP - 178 PG - 19 SN - 1439-0108 DO - 10.1007/s11368-024-03933-4 UR - https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/35600407 ID - 35600407 LA - English DB - MTMT ER - TY - JOUR AU - Varga, György AU - Gresina, Fruzsina AU - Gelencsér, András AU - Csávics, A AU - Rostási, Ágnes TI - Desert dust and photovoltaic energy forecasts: lessons from 46 Saharan dust events in Hungary (Central Europe) JF - RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS J2 - RENEW SUST ENERG REV VL - 212 PY - 2025 SN - 1364-0321 DO - 10.1016/j.rser.2025.115446 UR - https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/35725820 ID - 35725820 N1 - HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Budapest, Hungary Research Institute of Biomolecular and Chemical Engineering, University of Pannonia, Veszprém, Hungary ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, Department of Meteorology, Budapest, Hungary MTA-PE Air Chemistry Research Group, Research Institute of Biomolecular and Chemical Engineering, University of Pannonia, Veszprém, Hungary Export Date: 4 March 2025 CODEN: RSERF Correspondence Address: Varga, G.; HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth SciencesHungary; email: varga.gyorgy@csfk.org LA - English DB - MTMT ER - TY - CONF AU - Rostási, Ágnes AU - Gresina, Fruzsina AU - Gelencsér, András AU - Adrienn, Csávics AU - Varga, György TI - Saharan Dust and Solar Energy: Quantifying Forecasting Challenges in Hungary’s Rapidly Growing PV Sector. poster TS - poster T2 - EGU General Assembly 2025 C1 - Bécs PY - 2025 DO - 10.5194/egusphere-egu25-12210 UR - https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/36113905 ID - 36113905 LA - English DB - MTMT ER - TY - CONF AU - Varga, György AU - Gresina, Fruzsina AU - Gelencsér, András AU - Adrienn, Csávics AU - Rostási, Ágnes TI - The shadow of the wind: photovoltaic power generation under Europe's dusty skies T2 - EGU General Assembly 2025 C1 - Bécs PY - 2025 DO - 10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9264 UR - https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/36113909 ID - 36113909 LA - English DB - MTMT ER - TY - CONF AU - Gresina, Fruzsina AU - Beáta, Farkas AU - Magyar, Gergő AU - Szalai, Zoltán AU - Varga, György TI - Comparison of recent sediments from different geomorphological environments using automated static image analysis with insight into its applicability to paleo archives T2 - EGU General Assembly 2025 C1 - Bécs PY - 2025 DO - 10.5194/egusphere-egu25-12819 UR - https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/36113913 ID - 36113913 LA - English DB - MTMT ER - TY - CONF AU - Rostási, Ágnes AU - Varga, György AU - Gyurácz-Németh, Petra ED - Hartijasti, Y. ED - Teoh, S. TI - Wellness Hotels in Trouble: The effect of Saharan dust events on economic sustainability T2 - 11th EATSA 2025 Conference Proceedings Wellness and Sustainability Tourism in ‘Paradise’ Bali, Indonesia, 23-27 June 2025 PY - 2025 SP - 86 UR - https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/36234375 ID - 36234375 AB - The increasing frequency of Saharan Dust Events (SDEs) in Central Europe, especially in Hungary, poses significant challenges for the tourism sector, especially for spa hotels. This study examines the impact of SDEs on air quality, operating costs and possible guest experiences in these accommodations. Dust events lead to reduced air quality and visibility, undermining the tranquil environment essential for wellness services, which could ultimately affect guest satisfaction. In addition, increased levels of particulate matter can exacerbate health concerns for sensitive individuals, potentially reducing bookings during peak dust seasons. Operating costs rise sharply as wellness hotels face increased maintenance needs; outdoor facilities require frequent cleaning to prevent damage, while HVAC systems must work harder to maintain air quality, increasing energy consumption. As energy prices have risen sharply in recent years, this can have a significant impact on the economic sustainability of hotels. Wellness hotels will have to change their philosophy and services to meet the new challenges. Indoor services will become more important and special therapies such as cave therapy will play a greater role. In addition, traffic disruptions due to reduced visibility during SDEs complicate guest arrivals, leading to logistical issues and lower occupancy rates. This research highlights the wider implications of SDEs for the economic sustainability of wellness tourism in Hungary. Investment in sustainability and infrastructure will be essential to maintain competitiveness in an unpredictable climate. Keywords: Saharan dust event, wellness hotel, economic sustainability LA - English DB - MTMT ER - TY - GEN AU - Rostási, Ágnes AU - Gresina, Fruzsina AU - Gelencsér, András AU - Csávics, Adrienn AU - Varga, György TI - Szaharai porviharok hatása a fotovoltaikus energiatermelés előrejelzésére CY - Szombathely PY - 2025 UR - https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/36283197 ID - 36283197 LA - Hungarian DB - MTMT ER -