Pollen On Solar Panel

I have micro inverters so i can monitor the production of each individual panel in my 18 panel array.

Pollen on solar panel. But after a recent particularly heavy accumulation of pollen on every exposed outdoor surface i was curious as to the specific effect of the pollen on my daily solar production. Dirty solar panels do mean power loss. Dirt pollen and debris reduce the solar panels ability to perform at full capacity. University of san diego researchers looked into this question and concluded that with some exceptions since less than 0 05 percent of energy could be lost per day due to dirt it was not worth the effort or the expense to clean solar panels.

We know that dust dirt pollen bird droppings and other debris can negatively affect solar panel efficiency. That is an extreme scenario due to its very dry winters and high air pollution. Not only do consumers and business get tax relief and or reduce their energy expenses but well maintained systems also produce energy without creating excessive amounts of emissions and waste. There are many benefits to solar power.

Even a mild rain rinses off most of the obstructing dirt pollen etc which led them to conclude. Even with tilted panels you might have some slight buildup on the lowest panel because the runoff collects at the bottom but the decrease in output based on this alone is so minuscule it s not something worth worrying about. In addition most solar panels are tilted to a high enough degree that most buildup will run right off the panel instead of sticking to the top of it. Does dirt dust and pollen affect solar energy production.

Most solar panel installations will be self cleaning. Solar panels are pretty good at using natural rainfall to keep themselves free of heavy soiling but in the same way that your windows still manage to collect grime from pollen pollution and all forms of nature so do your panels. Google conducted a groundbreaking experiment at their 1 6 mw solar farm in mountain view california. Rain can wash away pollen but if it hasn t rained for a while you ll have to clean your solar panels on your own.

Pollen accumulates on your solar panels hampering their performance. In the public solar discussion group on facebook grant asks how to clean pollen off the solar panels on his home in lakeside florida. Good quality module glass combined with the angle of most rooftops assists with the cleaning process along with rain. Kathmandu was ranked the third most polluted city in the world in pollution index 2016.

Cleaning your solar panels. Why should i clean my solar panels. Fortunately it s quite easy. If the panels are dirty they absorb less sunlight and generate less electricity.