The major motivation for transition to solar energy consumption is the tangible benefit to the budget. This positive change is easily checked due to various monitoring systems that come with the PV system. System monitoring allows the users to check photovoltaic modules’ daily performance and efficiency. The latter is directly connected to the sunshine availability. In case the PV cells don’t absorb sufficient sunlight, they will not be able to perform at maximum efficiency.
One of the reasons for solar panel malfunction is the dirt. Although most modern PV modules are manufactured with self-cleaning functions there is still the necessity to clean them once or twice a year. This issue is not of primary concern for people who have small arrays that can even be cleaned by themselves. However, big commercial arrays do require a specialist’s periodical visits. Many solar panel cleaning companies gladly implement the hard work in an estimated time, depending on the size of the array. The service price ranges between $3 -$5 per panel depending on several factors, such as building height, system size or roof slant. Annual inspections of solar panel systems that typically cost about $150 are also a necessity. Although some consumers prefer cleaning their residential system themselves, the process is quite tricky and dangerous since there is always the chance to fall off the roof.
All these troubles will be in the past with the utilization of modern technologies. Ecoppia, the famous manufacturer of robotic cleaning technologies, suggests automated solar panel cleaning services. This method is a true revolution for solar farm owners who regularly face the problem of PV system cleaning and maintenance. The water-free cleaning robots’ latest installation was implemented in California, thus crossing the red line of 2,700 MW projects deployed worldwide. The T4 robot is eco-friendly – powered by the sun. It implements the solar panel cleaning service at night without human interference and using no water. The T4 is a true eco-friendly invention that functions without using any electricity or water. A cloud-based system is controlled remotely, cleaning the dust from the solar panels’ surface on a daily basis. Since permanent cleaning and proper maintenance of the PV system ensures its peak performance for the years to come, the role of these devices shouldn’t be underestimated. Disregard the solar panel cleaning cost demanded by various companies, the method of automatic cleaning is preferable for a number of reasons.
Since most of the large-scale solar farms are located in areas with many dust storms and little water, the concept of the autonomous cleaning method was a challenge for the developers. As a result, they designed the T4 sustainable cleaning solution to work in mentioned conditions. The uniqueness of this product moves it forth all the rest of solar panel cleaning companies. It has a different logic and is one of a kind in all the renewable technology markets. Featuring real-time analytics, the T4 is managed remotely and is weather-intelligent, enabling it to respond to changing conditions. The special microfiber removes all the dust from the panel surface without causing any harm to the module. Each robot has its own solar panel and self-cleaning mechanism.
As more and more people switch to solar energy consumption in the US, large-scale solar farms are sure to expand in California, Nevada and Texas, with the most suitable weather conditions. The solar panel installation for commercial buildings assumes ground-mounted arrays’ deployment involving several hundred PV modules. The maintenance of these modules via advanced robotic technologies will simplify the overall process together with remote performance monitoring.
Author of a publication: Helen Kocharyan