Solar Panels That Clean Other Solar Panels: The Photovoltaic Industry Has Entered a Self-Replicating Phase

Maximizing the performance of solar panels poses one of the biggest challenges in the photovoltaic industry. This challenge goes beyond merely improving the efficiency of the panels. It also involves finding effective ways to keep them clean for longer periods. Notably, the main adversaries of solar panels aren’t clouds, but dust and snow.

Cleaning these panels at home is essential for three reasons. First, a clean panel operates more efficiently. Estimates suggest that a dirty panel can produce up to 39% less energy annually. Second, regular cleaning can extend the lifespan of the panels by preventing corrosion and other damage. Finally, cleaner panels generate more electricity, which optimizes production and accelerates the return on investment.

Companies are designing robots for cleaning solar panels. These range from small models to manually operated tractors equipped with rollers that scrub panel surfaces. However, one of the key challenges lies in optimizing the cleaning process for the vast photovoltaic farms located in desert regions.

The solution may lie in a specialized robot. It’s not just any robot but one that doubles as a solar panel.

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Whether fully autonomous or semi-autonomous, robots require power to operate. They can be powered through long cables or batteries, particularly in larger installations. However, when these robots aren’t in use for cleaning, they can end up wasting valuable time and energy, especially in desert settings where dust accumulation is a significant problem.

In the video above, you can see a robot from Chinese company Sunpure, which specializes in creating devices for cleaning solar panels. In addition to conventional models, Sunpure offers two robots equipped with solar panels on top. These models harness solar energy to power their cleaning rollers, allowing them to navigate through rows of solar panels effectively.

The Venus robot is featured in the video above, while you can see a newer model below:

The new cleaning robot differs from its predecessor in several ways. It has a larger top surface area dedicated to the solar power panel. It’s also more adaptable to several panel sizes and, most importantly, is easier to clean. When it reaches the end of the solar panel that it’s cleaning, a built-in brush wipes the robot’s own panel, removing any dust that has accumulated.

Sunpure has already installed this cleaning robot in several photovoltaic power plants, including some in India and Uzbekistan. The Venus model has been used to clean the panels at CME1, Chile’s largest photovoltaic plant, located in the Atacama Desert.

These robots are just as interesting as they’re needed. Equipping them with solar panels is a practical solution for cleaning tasks in areas where dust is a significant issue. In fact, these robots are primarily deployed in plants situated in desert environments.

However, the biggest step forward for the industry is the development of self-cleaning solar panels. This innovation is already in progress, with notable advances made by Sol Clarity, a startup cofounded by Boston University alumni.

This technology, called Electrodynamic Screen, consists of a very thin, transparent film that charges dust particles with static electricity. Once it captures the dust, it effectively sweeps these particles away using electromagnetic waves. This provides an efficient solution that reduces reliance on robots and mitigates the considerable water usage associated with traditional large-scale solar panel cleaning.

In an industry where every kilowatt counts, it’s crucial to keep solar panels as clean as possible.

Images | Sunpure

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