The known standard equations that describe the physics of light converting into electricity inside a photovoltaic (PV) cell do not necessarily comprise the different operating environments’ effects. The scientists investigated several environmental factors that would influence the performance of solar sheets. Sometimes, some of them clarified these factors’ significance by using numerical simulations, analytical modeling (i.e., deriving correlations), or even changing the existing PV equations by including a parameter or term that defines the designated factor’s role. The accumulation of dust on the PV surfaces is one of the operational environmental factors leading to significantly reduced performance. Technically, the dust gathering results in shading, which must change, at least in theory, the current-voltage (I-V) and power-voltage (P-V) curves of the solar PV cell or module concerned. In the current review, we summarized the authors’ work that models the impact of buildup of dust particles and otherwise on the PV installations, each from a distinct perspective. We also ensured that the review holds the mathematical add-ons and alterations made to the underlying PV model to characterize the effect of interest. © 2021 International Solar Energy Society