Dust, leaves and dirt deposit on PV modules, soiling and shading the surface of solar panels, thus limiting solar radiation leading to a reduction in their electrical output, and it is estimated that a dirty PV system can reduce electrical output by up to 20%. Proper cleaning of PV panel systems is therefore essential to ensure optimal absorption of solar radiation and its subsequent conversion into electricity. In fact, regular and planned cleaning of solar panels increases their energy yield, resulting in a 30% increase in electricity production.
How often should photovoltaic panels be cleaned?
Even though there are weather phenomena such as rain and snow that can rinse and clean PV panels, this is not enough to completely clean them. In particular, there are birds such as pigeons that stay near your panels and leave bird droppings to stain the surface. Therefore, it is highly recommended to clean your PV panels regularly, both to maintain the efficiency of the panels and to ensure that the materials used to make them remain in good condition. To ensure that the energy output of your PV system remains constant, you need to schedule a PV module cleaning at least once every two years, and you can even plan for an annual cleaning if there are too many birds in the vicinity.
How do I clean the PV panels?
First of all, it is important to check if the PV system is not operating properly and if the level of electricity produced is decreasing, which can be done through the control panel of the PV system. You can choose to have it cleaned by professionals, who will have professional detergents and cleaning methods to provide you with customized solutions at an average price of 80€/kW.
Of course you can also clean it yourself (which is more dangerous), with a lifeline, a soft brush and a specific detergent; you can also choose a PV panel cleaning robot, radio-controlled, for fast and efficient cleaning up to 1300 m2/hour.
When the roof has snow in winter, Maysun Solar’s all-black modules can avoid this problem if you install them on a pitched roof. If your panels are installed on the ground or on the property, when the snow falls on the ground and the panels are not covered with anything, the snow on the ground acts as a mirror to emit the sunlight back, thus increasing the power production of the panels, because the reflection of the snow gives a small boost to the photovoltaic power when the double-glass modules are installed.
On a flat roof, you can use a soft brush or mop, etc., to push the snow down, taking care not to scratch the glass. The module is withstand a certain amount of force, but you also should not step on the module, it is also recommended not to board the snow too thick before cleaning, these situations can cause hidden cracks or damage to the module. It should be noted that: you can not use hot water to rinse the panels.
When is the best time to clean my PV system?
The best time to schedule cleaning of PV modules is early spring, i.e. March/April. This way, the system will be very clean during the months when the sunlight is at its best, resulting in energy production.
At Maysun Solar, we offer a 15-year product warranty and up to 25-year performance guarantee to emphasize that our products are not cheap products, but represent long-term solutions you can rely on.
Because weather conditions, buildings and technology are not universal, they vary from place to place. That’s why we rely on regional experts who can be on hand to provide you with expert assistance in making the appropriate system solution for the specific conditions of your home’s roof.
We have offices, warehouses in several country regions, such as Italy and Germany, and we will send the PV panels from your nearest logistics center, contact us now and get a quote.
