Increase Solar Power Output by Keeping Panels Clean
November 10, 2008 · Print This Article
It makes sense that dirt, grime, tree sap and other debris on solar panels would decrease their power output – anything that shields them from the sun will keep them from absorbing as many rays as they need to be super-efficient. So, a company called OCS Energy has created a solar panel cleaning system for 100kw or larger installations that attaches to the array of panels to wash the system on a weekly basis. It’s called ‘SolarWash’, and it’s “the first commercially available automated photovoltaic panel cleaning system.”
From Earth2Tech:
OCS says if the solar installation is experiencing a loss of energy of 5 percent or more due to dirt, then the system can pay back within 3 to 5 years. (Update: The company’s CEO Richard O’Connell tells us that the system costs $0.30 per watt DC to install, and that the company is in the process of bringing those costs down.) That energy loss estimate is actually a pretty conservative claim from a solar panel maintenance company. Many of the service-oriented companies in the solar panel maintenance market say dirt and grim can reduce a panel’s energy output by 15 to 25 percent.
I wonder how many solar panel owners actually think about cleaning their panels on a regular basis. An automated solution certainly seems like it would be more convenient than having to crawl up on your roof and do it yourself, or hire a company to come out. Seems like it’d be a huge help for commercial owners of large solar arrays, but time will tell whether they deem it worth the investment.
Watch a video of the system in action over at Earth2Tech!
Link [Earth2Tech]
Photo credit: The Guardian
- Solar panel
- Solar Power Generator Solar Panel Kits Solar Generator
- donate $50 to the YPSI People's Solar Initiative to install solar panels on...
Related Posts:
Lower-Cost Solar Cells Can be Painted onto RooftopsNew Generation of Solar Cells Inspired by Plants
Samsung’s Solar-Powered ‘Blue Earth’ Cell Phone
Next Generation Toyota Prius Will Have Solar Panels
How To Get Your Own Solar-Powered Bag
I heard from a commenter on my blog that he saw the SolarWash system in action and the only part he did not like about it was it did not clean to corners of the panels. There is also a cleaning solution out there called the “PowerBoost” which cleans solar panels by attaching an applicator with special foaming solution to clean and protect solar panels from future dirt accumulation.
One would think you would want to clean your solar panels on a regular basis. Obviously anything that is blocking the panels from absorbing the sun’s rays is going to negatively effect it’s output. The more consumers are informed about products such as this the better.