How do you keep solar panels clean?

There are several ways to keep solar panels clean, from manual washing to fully automated technologies. While rainwater can remove some of the grime that collects on panels over time, it can also cause dirt to accumulate at the bottom of the panels, and it isn’t sufficient to remove heavy pollution.

Can a waterless cleaning method remove dust from solar panels?

Dust that accumulates on solar panels is a major problem, but washing the panels uses huge amounts of water. MIT engineers have now developed a waterless cleaning method to remove dust on solar installations in water-limited regions, improving overall efficiency. Image courtesy of the researchers.

Do solar panels need to be cleaned?

But the accumulation of dust on solar panels or mirrors can reduce the output of photovoltaic panels by as much as 30% in just one month. The regular cleaning that solar panels require currently is estimated to use about 10 billion gallons of water per year—enough to supply drinking water for up to 2 million people.

How do you remove dust from a solar panel?

A small electric motor, perhaps using a tiny portion of the output from the panel itself, would drive a belt system to move the electrode from one end of the panel to the other, causing all the dust to fall away. The whole process could be automated or controlled remotely.

Can You Wash solar panels manually?

And, homeowners can wash their solar panels manually using a garden hose and a soft sponge without cleaning agents. Scientists at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland and in a project funded by NASA in the US have developed ways to cause solar panels to vibrate to shake surface dust loose.

Can a waterless system clean solar panels?

But waterless cleaning methods are less effective and labor-intensive and tend to scratch the panels, which also reduces their efficiency. Now, MIT researchers have devised a waterless, no-contact system to automatically clean solar panels or the mirrors of solar thermal plants.