Solar PV panels are rocketing in popularity. Technology is also advancing rapidly as the clean energy transition gathers pace; however, one important area has been overlooked until now.
Imagine that your solar panel installation Weston is ready to generate electricity but also attracts airborne dust and grime. Over time, this dirt can shade the individual cells, leading to up to 25% efficiency loss. This problem has been overlooked until now, but this could be about to change.
Is solar PV panel cleaning worth it?
Solar panel installation is becoming more common due to government grants and the proliferation of high-quality professional installers, such as https://redbridgeandsons.co.uk/solar-pv-panels/solar-panel-installers-weston. The question is: how do you maintain your panels once they are in place?
Regular cleaning is a necessity for the efficiency and longevity of your solar panels. A buildup of bird droppings, lichen, tree sap, and pollutants can significantly reduce your return on investment and even affect your warranty.
Until now, solar panel cleaning has been a task that involves hiring professionals or tackling the job yourself with a soft cloth and biodegradable soap; therefore, a new breed of self-cleaning panels could be a real game-changer, offering a convenient solution that could soon make laborious cleaning a thing of the past.
How does electromagnetic cleaning work?
A US solar company is currently developing an electrodynamic screen to make manual cleaning outdated. The technology, known as EDS, charges dust particles before an electromagnetic wave sweeps them away, with the dust simply falling off the screen.
The EDS material has already been tested at community-owned solar facilities in the US and Chile, with exciting results. The manufacturers expect the system to operate for up to two minutes a day, cleaning an estimated 500 modules with just 1kWh of electricity. This is the same amount of energy as running your dishwasher on a one-hour cycle.
The good news is that the new material can be retrofitted to older-style solar PV panels with excellent results. Genuine self-cleaning technology reduces the need for water and cleaning products, contributing to a more sustainable future.
