An outdoor window cleaner without chemicals that could damage nearby plants or a cleaner made specifically for solar panels are usually safe bets in this case. You can also make your own cleaning solution with a combination of water and dish soap or one part vinegar to eight parts water. Lubricant manufacturer Polywater produces a solar panel cleaner to help water remove dirt without leaving a film. SunSystem technology uses a mixture of diluted vinegar and hydrogen peroxide to remove dirt.
If you need more thorough cleaning, you should still avoid high-pressure water. Mix a mild soap and water solution to clean the panels and prevent chemical damage. Use a soft scouring pad to wash the panels, then rinse them gently. Remove excess water with a rubber squeegee and the sun will finish the job.
In addition, the angle of the roof where the photovoltaic panels are installed influences how often they must be cleaned. The solar energy experts who will be with you from start to finish can trust Airis Energy for all your solar energy needs. It can be difficult to keep up with solar panel maintenance: between rainwater stains, bird droppings, and constant exposure to dust and dirt, it can feel like you're always cleaning the panels. But do solar panels need to be cleaned? While this system may seem very low-maintenance, it's still important to prioritize a cleaning program.
Solar maintenance companies, such as Bland Company, based in the USA. In the US, and Premier Solar Cleaning have discovered that using deionized water with a rotating or vehicle-mounted brush allows them to clean the panels without using soap, leaving a residue that not only gives them shade but also attracts dirt. In the Middle East, Ecoppia uses autonomous robots powered by solar energy to clean photovoltaic panels every night with soft microfiber and air flow instead of water, since washing at high pressure can damage the panels. If you use an extension pole to clean the panels, be careful not to hit it against the panel (the plastic or metal handle may cause scratches).
Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels require minimal maintenance once installed and are designed to operate for 25 to 30 years. Taking care of solar panels is crucial to ensure their durability and efficiency, but sometimes cleaning and maintenance are not enough to keep them running smoothly. Solar panels are an excellent representation of working with Mother Nature to create a more sustainable and livable environment. While it's difficult to maintain 100% solar production, routine cleaning with solar panel cleaning kits, gentle cleaning solutions, and pure water will help keep efficiency levels high.
When cleaning solar panels, you should remember that scratching or damaging the glass can dramatically reduce the panel's efficiency. Ecoppia's cloud-based platform uses sensors and machine learning to monitor a solar PV system, collect weather data, and use trackers to clean panels on an optimized schedule. The most obvious way to know when solar panels need to be cleaned is when the system's efficiency starts to decline. Panels that are installed at an angle are more cleared of rainwater runoff than flat mounted panels, where water can accumulate in swimming pools and leave residue.