Soil and Dust Accumulation on Solar Panels

The accumulation of dust, soot, or other particulates causes a drop in the efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) panels and limits the amount of power produced. Additionally, when PV panels cool down at night and attract morning dew, the soil can become cemented onto the panels.

“What we’ve seen anecdotally by looking at aged molecules under the microscope, is after a few years [solar panels] just have some sort of surface contamination that we just cannot get off, no matter how much we scrub it. In order to remove it, you actually have to scratch the glass.” - Sarah Toth, PHD💸

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Cost on Solar Operators :

‍The energy lost annually from soiling ranges from 7% in parts of the United States to 50% in places like the Middle East. A one-time cleaning for a 10-megawatt solar farm can cost an estimated $5,000. In areas with high soiling and low precipitation, it is best to clean panels multiple times per year.

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‍The Solution:

The hydrophilic properties of Phazebreak Coatings’ SurfaceSlip coating aim to assist with the compounding problems presented by soiling, especially insusceptible arid environments. Our goal is to manage the accumulation of dust and particles as well as minimize the amount of cleaning required by operators, ensuring better efficiency with less hassle.

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Want to learn more?

Reach out to our sales reps:

📧 : Dave Rupp - dave.rupp@phazebreak.com

‍📧 : Matiss Sivins - matiss.sivins@phazebreak.com

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📖 Further reading:

https://www.nrel.gov/news/features/2021/scientists-studying-solar-try-solving-a-dusty-problem.html

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