Dust-covered solar panels block the sunlight from reaching the photovoltaic cells, thereby making the panels less efficient at generating power and eventually decreasing their longevity. Preventive maintenance thus becomes essential in ensuring the health of the solar plant. Periodic cleaning of panels becomes necessary to optimize solar generation.
Robotic solar panel cleaning is now being touted as the new cleaning standard. Robotic solar panels are automated cleaning solutions designed to clean the solar panels effectively and efficiently. These robots clean the panels safely, ensuring the best safety practices are followed. These robots can be used with or without water for cleaning purposes.
Some benefits of robotic solar panel cleaning are:
Autonomous Operation and Water Supply: The robots operate autonomously, requiring little human intervention. These robots have a water system that distributes water for cleaning the panels.
Navigation and Positioning: These robots can be coupled with sensors consisting of cameras, lasers, or ultrasonic sensors, which enable them to navigate and position themselves to clean the panels.
Brushing Mechanism: This mechanism removes all dust, dirt, and debris from the surface, giving the panels a shinier look. It is designed so that the brushes are soft and gentle to avoid scratches on the panel.
Robotic Arm: Solar panel cleaning robots employ either a robotic arm or tracks to move along the surface of the solar panels. A robotic arm allows for more flexibility in reaching different areas of the panels, while tracks provide stability and traction.
Service charges: The cost of a solar panel cleaning machine in India ranges from INR 3000 to INR 3 lakh, depending on the system size. Solar panel cleaning service costs usually range from 500 to 2000 INR per kW.
Due to the high upfront cost of adopting these cleaning systems, this concept is more suitable for larger projects, particularly land-mounted projects and solar parks. The dramatic reduction in manual labour makes them an attractive proposition. Moreover, due to the size and working of these cleaning systems, they are not suitable for compact spaces such as solar rooftop projects.
Role of AI in the future
AI facilitates the development of robotic panel cleaning equipment that can navigate environments, avoid obstacles, and perform various cleaning tasks such as mopping, disinfecting, and sanitising with robotic precision, smart detection to gauge which part needs more cleaning, fault detection, precise water control, and scheduled cleaning based on weather forecasts. AI-powered systems enable smart dirt detection by identifying areas with maximum dirt while also analysing weather patterns to optimise the timing and efficiency of solar panel cleaning.
Robot solar panel cleaning offers numerous benefits that outweigh the initial investment, especially for large installations or in environments with high dust and debris accumulation. However, it is important to consider the potential disadvantages, such as initial cost and the need for maintenance. A thorough analysis and careful consideration of needs and circumstances are crucial when deciding if a robot is the right choice for a PV system or not.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.
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