Many manufacturers and companies that install small solar power plants on private farms say the following “Set and forget.” But is it really possible to install a solar panel and forget about its existence? Just get electricity or even earn without the need to maintain it regularly.
Dust storms, unfortunately, are now a harsh reality.
Dust, sand and dirt are the enemies of every solar power plant owner. After all, they cut a lot of the efficiency of the panel and can deprive you of a third of the nominal power. Or a third of income. In addition, the dust storm used to be a miracle for Ukraine. Similarly, for example, snowdrifts have always been the norm in Kyiv. But the winter of 2020 was full only of rains and snow very seldom fell from the sky.
The utilities were happy about this, but the other side of the coin did not delay and in the spring, in addition to the pandemic, Kyiv residents faced air full of smoke, ash and dust. Of course, this is primarily a health threat. But it is also a loss of clear sunny days due to reduced air transparency, and a large amount of dust and ash that settles on various surfaces. Including and solar panels.
Temperature change
Rising temperatures in winter indicate nothing more than climate change. In Ukraine, it is getting warmer every year, although the angle of inclination to the sun remains unchanged. But this creates some problems for owners of solar panels, because their efficiency decreases with heating of photovoltaic cells. When the wind is cool, the solar panels give off enough heat without additional cooling systems. But the rise in average annual temperature three times faster than in the rest of the world is an alarming signal.
Spark – automatic solar panel cleaning system
An effective solution is the Spark system, which to understand its principle of operation can be called “automatic solar panel watering system”. Its feature is that it works for 15-20 seconds, spending the minimum amount of water as efficiently as possible. That is, with minimal consumption, it effectively cleans the surface of the solar panel from ash and dust. And also cools it that maintains temperature of photocells at the necessary level for the most productive work. In order to prevent excessive water consumption, we recommend installing a drainage system and using the water left over from washing the solar panels for irrigation.
The area of solar panels is an excellent collection of water for irrigation.
It is worth noting that cleaning solar panels by hand is very expensive, because cleaning with a garden hose is not so economical in terms of water consumption. And it’s also an obvious waste of time. It is worth mentioning that dry cleaning with a broom is not a good idea, because micro-scratches reduce the efficiency of solar panels much more than dust.
Another important advantage of Spark is compatibility with any solar panel, regardless of the form factor and size. So this system is definitely suitable for your private solar power plant. And the sprinklers themselves do not form shadows on solar panels. And Spark is fully controlled from a smartphone. So you can set the necessary cycle at any time or turn off the system.