PV module cleaner

South African researchers have developed a new cleaning system for solar panels that uses a color-sensing light-to-frequency converter to detect dirt. It can reportedly remove around 95% of the dust from a PV panel in less than a minute, at a lower cost than other systems.

Enray Solutions has developed an autonomous, water-free cleaning robot for ground-mount solar installations that draws its power from an on-board PV panel and battery. The robot is designed to withstand the harsh environmental conditions of all kinds of terrain.

GIZ, Germany’s development agency, has partnered with India‘s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to follow up on its successful “kW-to-kWh” study, which has become a quality benchmark for MNRE’s projects in India. PI Berlin acted as lead consultant on the project, and Asier Ukar, senior consultant and managing director of PI Berlin S.L., shares some of the key conclusions.

Tamil Nadu based Next Automation has come up with a tractor-mounted hydraulically operated arm as a fast, accurate, cost-effective, and water-efficient cleaning solution for panels in solar farms.

French chemical company Axcentive and solar module manufacturer Photowatt have developed a PV panel coating based on photoactive nanotechnology. The coating relies on a super-hydrophilic surface that makes the water spread out on the module surface immediately, thus avoiding light scattering effects upon rain.

Nimish Jain brings to Air Touch India, the India arm of the Israeli robotic cleaning specialist for the solar industry, around 13 years of work experience in renewable energy in new market development, operations, strategy and business development functions. He has worked with companies like Solarig Global, Vikram Solar, and Jinko Solar.

Developed and distributed by Portuguese start-up ChemiTek, the detergent is claimed to reduce water consumption by about 50% and increase energy production by up to 5%. The product was recently certified by the German laboratory TÜV Sud, according to the EN 61215 standard.

British scientists have reported significant restoration of the panel performance with the experimental compressed air system developed by them for the simultaneous cleaning and cooling of PV modules. The system was built with a compressed-air unit which was made of a compressor, an air tank, and an airflow regulation valve, and a series of nozzles. The technique was tested on a PV system located in northwestern India.

Israeli firm Airtouch Solar has landed a $7.6 million deal to deploy its water-free cleaning robots for the Indian developer’s three solar farms in Rajasthan.

The state-owned Central Electronics Limited seeks to empanel startups having the technology patent for waterless solar module cleaning system without any moving parts as its intends to manufacture such systems at its facilities.