With an increase in the number of solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants across the globe, more and more governments, power project developers, and power lending providers are shifting their focus on renewable energy resources. It is essential to clean the PV modules of the solar power plants that are placed in high dusty environments.
If not cleaned, the solar cells might be fully or partially covered with soil or dust which can lead to safety issues such as overheating or forming hot spots. But cleaning millions of PV modules becomes a challenging task for operators around the world, specifically in those arid regions where the soil deposition rate is high.
Manual or semi-automated equipment for cleaning solar panels has been known for quite some time. However, the advent of artificial intelligence has introduced a lot of other solar panel cleaning options in the market. So, before looking for solar panel cleaning equipment prices, let’s find out the multiple cleaning options available these days.
Here are some of the common cleaning solutions for industrial power plants and may also be used for cleaning rooftop solar panels.
Types of Solar Panel Cleaning Equipment
Presently, there are numerous cleaning options available in the market to clean PV modules. These options can be used either for wet or dry types of cleaning purposes. Without any further ado, let’s have a look at the common types of solar panel cleaning equipment.
1. Non-Automated Cleaning
In this solar panel cleaning category, automated equipment is hardly used for cleaning the modules. Almost the entire cleaning process is performed by manual laborers. These laborers mostly use a cloth or brush to wipe off the dust and dirt from the modules. This cleaning option is usually applied on small-scaled power plants or residential rooftops.
2. Semi-Automated Cleaning
This cleaning category utilizes a considerable level of automation to clean PV modules. The cleaning activity is either carried out by semi-automated robots placed manually on the robots or by vehicle-driven equipment. This semi-automated cleaning process can be divided into the following sub-categories:
· Semi-Automated Robotic Cleaning: In this cleaning system, robots are placed on the rooftops to clean all the rows of solar panels. But, these bots require a manual shift from one row to another. Several solar panel cleaning companies and service providers offer this cleaning option. You will also find different designs of robot cleaning machines in the market. Make sure to compare this solar panel cleaning equipment price before purchasing one.
· Vehicle Driven Cleaning: This type of cleaning system usually involves a cleaning mechanism that includes a brush with controls, attached to a compatible vehiclethat is driven by a human. To avoid damages on the surface of the solar panels, this machine comes with its safety system to control the pressure of the brush exerted on the PV modules by the operator.
3. Fully Automated Cleaning
This category uses Automatic Robotic Cleaning System (ARCS) to carry out the cleaning process efficiently. The automation level in this cleaning system is comparatively much higher than the other two types mentioned above. Cleaning devices referred to as robots or bots are utilized to perform the cleaning activity. Unlike the semi-automated robots, these cleaning devices are permanently installed on each row of the power plant.
Typically, this cleaning system does not require manual labor to support the cleaning activity or place the cleaning devices. The best thing about these machines is that they can operate at any time during the day or night. In addition, they can be made to operate through a remote connection if required.
Final Note
Now that you have an idea about the different types of solar panel cleaning systems, make sure to select the most compatible cleaning equipment for your power plant, project, or residential rooftop. Different companies offer different solar panel cleaning equipment prices. Always be cautious about choosing the optimum cleaning option for your requirement and not just opt for the lowest in terms of pricing.
