Can Solar Panel Cleaning Improve Panel Efficiency?

Solar panel cleaning is an absolute must if you want to get the best performance out of your panels. Most commonly, the solar cells in the panel will be covered by a glass coating for protection purposes. The dirtier this coating becomes, the less efficient the solar energy panel becomes.

The decreased efficiency of solar panels can be caused by several factors. If the surface of the panel is blocked by contamination, traffic dust, or even bird droppings, it can cause a drop in efficiency because light cannot reach the cells. While there are many factors that can affect how much electricity a solar panel produces, dirty solar panels can be one of the biggest and one of the easiest to fix. It's always good to have your solar panels checked regularly to help prevent problems in the first place.

1. Other factors that affect the efficiency of solar panels

It has been found that solar panels installed at an angle of less than five degrees result in a significant loss of solar panel efficiency. This is because sediment can slide off the panels when tilted. Location is also a factor when it comes to panel efficiency. Areas with more dirt may affect how the system operates. Dust isn't the only factor that reduces the efficiency of solar panels. Other factors, such as bird droppings, should always be removed. This is because manure blocks sunlight and is not usually removed naturally by weather conditions such as rain. PV panels can also become dirty and require cleaning, depending on the surrounding environment. An example is a panel directly downwind from a highway, factory or agricultural area, which may create enough dirt to keep it clean.

2. How to check solar panels

There are several ways to check if your solar panels need cleaning:

Physical Inspection: Your solar panels should be inspected regularly, especially in areas with adverse weather conditions or dusty areas. The connections should also be checked at this point so you can keep track of their condition.

Use a monitoring service: Do regular physical checks, but it's best to back up yourself with a monitoring system. They constantly monitor the state and condition of the solar panels. You can pay an up-front fee or pay monthly and then continuously observe the performance levels of your system. This helps prevent damage and even extends the life of the panel.

Solar panels generate a certain amount of electricity each month. With the monitoring system, you can receive information on whether the system is offline or not operating at an optimal level. In addition to this, a solar monitoring system can show you how much electricity you have saved, as well as the level of carbon dioxide that has been blocked from entering the atmosphere. It can also show how much money you have saved.