Best Way to Clean Solar Panels

Last updated June 7, 2013 by Mathias Aarre Maehlum Leave a Comment

Solar panels does not have any moving parts, which is why there`s not a whole lot of maintenance to take care of. However, cleaning is one aspect of solar panel maintenance that should not be taken lightly. In this article you will learn how to clean solar panels the right way.

How to Clean Solar Panels

1. The first thing you want to do is to check with your solar panel manufacturer. They might have specific recommendations for cleaning. 2. Solar panels can become incredible hot in sunshine. Either clean your solar panels in the morning/afternoon, or pick a relatively cool day. 3. First try if your garden hose alone does the job. If a lot of dust and dirt has accumulated you might need to clean more thoroughly. 4. Fill a bucket or spray bottle with warm water and soap no other special equipment is needed.

5. Clean the surface of the solar panel with a soft cloth or sponge. You do not have to clean the wiring underneath. Show extra caution if cleaning your solar panels requires you to climb up on the roof. Consider getting professional solar panel cleaners to do the job.

Why should I clean my solar panels? We know that dust, dirt, pollen, bird droppings and other debris can negatively affect solar panel efficiency. Google conducted a groundbreaking experiment at their 1.6 MW solar farm in Mountain View, California. They found that cleaning the solar was the number one way to maximize the energy they produce. Cleaning solar panels that had been in operation for 15 months doubled their output of electricity.[1] The same study also found that rain is not a satisfying way of cleaning solar panels. Solar panels that were cleaned professionally had a 12% higher output of electricity compared to those cleaned by rain.[2]

How much money would it cost me to neglect solar panel cleaning? It is reasonable to assume that solar panels can loose 15-25% of their efficiency if not cleaned properly. This literally means that they will generate 15-25% less electricity,

which you now will have to source from the utility company at their price rates. This easily adds a couple of years extra on the payback time.

How often should I clean my solar panels? In most places, there`s more pollution in the winter, which is why the spring is a good time to do an annual cleaning. Solar panels that are cleaned once and twice a year produce 3.5% and 5.1% more electricity respectively than those that are left uncleaned.[3] However, some places do require extra attention: In the southwest region of the U.S., where rainfall is limited for several months at a time, the accumulation of dirt is far greater. Solar panels that are installed near sources of pollution such as freeways, factories and airports need to be cleaned more often. Other special cases to consider include autumn and winter, where the removal of leaves and snow is important for optimal performance. Another thing to note is that rainwater has an easier time cleaning solar panels that are tilted (as opposed to flat mounted solar panels). Here`s the best piece of advice when it comes to frequency: Monitor changes in the power output of your solar panels before and after cleaning. Experiment with different time intervals. Take note and evaluate what works.

Cleaning solar panels is not really that much different than cleaning a typical window. It is not very time-consuming either. Neglecting to clean your solar panels is not much different than throwing money out of the window.Self-cleaning solar systems are available for those lazy folks out there that are willing to spend the extra buck.

Which solar panel is the best Advantages

Monocrystalline solar panels have the highest efficiency rates since they are made out of the highest-grade silicon. The efficiency rates of monocrystalline solar panels are typically 15-20%. SunPower produces the highest efficiency solar panels on the U.S. market today. Their E20 series provide panel conversion efficiencies of up to 20.1%.[3] Update (April, 2013): SunPower has now released the X-series at a record-breaking efficiency of 21.5%. [7]

Monocrystalline silicon solar panels are spaceefficient. Since these solar panels yield the highest power outputs, they also require the least amount of space compared to any other types. Monocrystalline solar panels produce up to four times the amount of electricity as thin-film solar panels.

Monocrystalline solar panels live the longest. Most solar panel manufacturers put a 25-year warranty on their monocrystalline solar panels.

Tend to perform better than similarly rated polycrystalline solar panels at low-light conditions.

The efficiency of individual solar cells is higher than for entire solar panels/modules. For a complete overview over how the efficiency rates of the various solar cell technologies have advanced since 1975 check out Best Research-Cell Efficiencies (NREL). The efficiency rates in this article refer to solar panel/module efficiencies. Check out What Factors Determine Solar Panel Efficiency? for more information on this subject.

Disadvantages

Monocrystalline solar panels are the most expensive. From a financial standpoint, a solar panel that is made of polycrystalline silicon (and in some cases thin-film) can be a better choice for some homeowners.

If the solar panel is partially covered with shade, dirt or snow, the entire circuit can break down. Consider getting micro-inverters instead of central string inverters if you think coverage will be a problem. Microinverters will make sure that not the entire solar array is

affected by shading issues with only one of the solar panels.

The Czochralski process is used to produce monocrystalline silicon. It results in large cylindrical ingots. Four sides are cut out of the ingots to make silicon wafers. A significant amount of the original silicon ends up as waste.

Monocrystalline solar panels tend to be more efficient in warm weather.Performance suffers as temperature goes up, but less so than polycrystalline solar panels. For most homeowners temperature is not a concern.

SunPower`s monocrystalline solar panels produce up to four times the amount of electricity as thin-film solar panels for the same amount of space.[3]

Having your particular situation evaluated by an expert would be the best way to find out what solar panel type would be best for your household. Here are some of the typical scenarios we see:

Limited Space

For those who dont have enough space for thin-film solar panels (the majority of us), or if you want to limit the amount of space their PV-system takes up, crystalline-based solar panels are your best choice (and they would likely be the your

best choice even if you had the extra space). There are not a whole lot of solar installers and providers that offer thin-film solar panels for homeowners at this point. You will have a choice of different solar panel sizes. The 180, 200 and 220-watt rated solar panels are usually physically the same size. They are manufactured exactly the same way, but under- or overperform when tested, hence ending up in different categories for power output. If size is important, you should go for the highest rated power output for a particular physical size. Both mono- and polycrystalline solar panels are good choices and offer similar advantages.Even though polycrystalline solar panels tend to be less space-efficient and monocrystalline solar panels tend to produce more electrical power, this is not always the case. It would be nearly impossible to recommend one or the other by not examining the solar panels and your situation closer. Monocrystalline solar panels are slightly more expensive, but also slightly more space-efficient. If you had one polycrystalline and one monocrystalline solar panel, both rated 220-watt, they would generate the same amount of electricity, but the one made of monocrystalline silicon would take up less space.

Lowest Costs

If you want the lowest costs per rated power, or in other words, pay as little as possible for a certain amount of electricity, you should investigate if thin-film solar panels could in fact be a better choice than mono- or polycrystalline solar panels. &******from experts comment Here are the real facts: Monocrystalline solar panels have the highest efficiency rates since they are made out of the highest-grade silicon. (Somewhat true, but its irrelevant as manufacturers now make equally rated panels from poly or mono material.) The efficiency rates of monocrystalline solar panels are typically 15-20%. (yes and no, mono by nature is most efficient than poly but at a module level a 250W Poly or Mono panels will perform somewhat the same. KEEP IN MIND PEOPLE, BEING MORE EFFICIENT DOES NOT MEAN IT WILL PRODUCE MORE POWER (kWh) ) SunPower produces the highest efficiency solar panels on the U.S. market today. Their E20 series provide panel conversion efficiencies of up to 20.1%.[3] (True, but this is meant to be an unbiased informative article)

Monocrystalline silicon solar panels are space-efficient. (So are poly, a 250W mono or poly panel have the same dimensions and produce somewhat the same depending on the climate) Since these solar panels yield the highest power outputs, they also require the least amount of space compared to any other types. Monocrystalline solar panels produce up to four times the amount of electricity as thin-film solar panels. (Sure, depending on the location they are installed, Thinfilm has a much higher temperature tolerance than mono) Monocrystalline solar panels live the longest. Most solar panel manufacturers put a 25-year warranty on their monocrystalline solar panels. (Not true, all manufacturers put a 25 year warranty on any panel regardless of the material is made out of) Tend to perform better than similarly rated polycrystalline solar panels at low-light conditions. (Totally true, key word low-light conditions) If the solar panel is partially covered with shade, dirt or snow, the entire circuit can break down. (Yes, that happens to any panel being amorphous, mono or poly it has nothing to do with the material of the cell, its how the actual cells are wired together)

Consider getting micro-inverters instead of central string inverters if you think coverage will be a problem. Microinverters will make sure that not the entire solar array is affected by shading issues with only one of the solar panels. (Sure, but Microinverters are less reliable than centralized inverters, only use them if you REALLY need them)

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First, a little bit of history: The parliament of Malaysia created a renewable energy act two years ago. They created the Renewable Energy Fund (RE Fund). The Renewable Energy Fund is basically a tax for everyone who uses more than RM77 a month of electricity. The tax has taken about 1% from you since December 2011. This 1% will go to Renewable Energy Fund which has about RM300 million per annum and is administered by Tenaga National. Notice, though, the word used is administered not paid. The money will be paid by the RE fund. Before we can get in to all the goodies, we first have to apply for a quota. They call it the Feed-in Tariff Quota from SEDA (Sustainable Energy Development Authority), which is a department of the Ministry of Energy. So, we are dealing with government companies here. So, what I hope to do is teach you how to maneuver through the system and get back some of the money which you have put aside for renewable energy. I mentioned earlier that there is a quota on how much Tenaga can pay out since were taxed by about RM300 million per annum. So, everybody has got to apply for the quota from the SEDA. The application is done through the Internet. The application is on a first-come, first-served basis for the Individual Sector which is who we are. The individuals who have their own roof top at the top of their house. For 2013, they kept it at 20 mW. What is 20 mW? It is the equivalent of 1700 houses of 12 kW. If you go for a size of 4 kW, then we are talking about 3,0004,000 houses. But, you might be getting confused. You might be thinking what is Kilowatt? Kilowatt is a measure of the capacity of the solar panel. Its a bit like a car engine a car can be 1.5c or a 2.0cc. So, its a bit like power plants. What is the kilowatt of your solar power system? Is it a 4 kW? A 4 kW is typical for a linked house. A 6 kW to 8 kW is typical for a semi-detached. A bungalow can fit a 12 kW. This is just a guide to give you a sense of the range. All Malaysian IC holders can apply for up to 2 x 12 kW. Since youre coming to the second half of the year, theres only a quota of about 1.8 mW left, enough for 200 to 400 houses. A 12 kW system roughly requires 1000 sqft of roof space. So, a lot of you would say, Hey, I dont know how big my roof is. Well, to be fair, most developers do not give, what we call, a roof plan. I deally, we need to look at the roof plan, so we can calculate how many solar panels you can fit on the roof. But, no worries if you dont have the roof plan, one of the installers can come over and provide you a quotation anyway.

Read More http://kclau.com/investment/feed-in-tariff/ - See more at: http://kclau.com/investment/feed-intariff/#sthash.EYMmb7j9.dpuf

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http://simplisolar.com/site/for-home/how-to-buy/