Cleaning solar panels

[Ian S]

I still stand by my earlier experimental results but will be redoing them shortly. In that instance, I saw an improvement of 5-6% in maximum power corrected for ambient temperature after cleaning. One difference I would note is that my panels (on a flat foam roof) are only at a 15 deg tilt which would perhaps result in more buildup of a dirt layer. It's been nearly 2 months since we had appreciable rain and even longer since I cleaned so we'll see what happens when I go up on the roof within the next week.

[J.P.M.]

I still stand by my earlier experimental results but will be redoing them shortly. In that instance, I saw an improvement of 5-6% in maximum power corrected for ambient temperature after cleaning. One difference I would note is that my panels (on a flat foam roof) are only at a 15 deg tilt which would perhaps result in more buildup of a dirt layer. It's been nearly 2 months since we had appreciable rain and even longer since I cleaned so we'll see what happens when I go up on the roof within the next week.

So would I. Different location, different conditions. different time frame. Different everything. About the only thing the same is the glass on the panels, and depending on if/how any antireflection coating affects things, even that might be different.

[Volusiano]

^^^This goes to show how different results people can get in cleaning solar panels. Your result may not apply to anyone else but you. I think one non-quantifiable factor amongst the different claims is the amount of dirt on the panel. How would you even measure this?

This post from the Window Cleaning Resource forum makes reference to a study (written in Dutch unfortunately) that you might find interesting to read. Below is the excerpt from that post:

http://edepot.wur.nl/282211
This link is to a study as I mentioned: a well conditioned test of cleaned and non-cleaned oanels in parallel. Study says that improvement varies from 2.2% up to 12%. It depended on how dirty panels were. Study was conducted by an indipendent Belgian test institute.
Sorry that text is in Dutch, but you van find the numbers in the text.
Mark
Krassen verwijderen door glas polijsten

[J.P.M.]

^^^This goes to show how different results people can get in cleaning solar panels. Your result may not apply to anyone else but you. I think one non-quantifiable factor amongst the different claims is the amount of dirt on the panel. How would you even measure this?

This post from the Window Cleaning Resource forum makes reference to a study (written in Dutch unfortunately) that you might find interesting to read. Below is the excerpt from that post:

http://edepot.wur.nl/282211
This link is to a study as I mentioned: a well conditioned test of cleaned and non-cleaned oanels in parallel. Study says that improvement varies from 2.2% up to 12%. It depended on how dirty panels were. Study was conducted by an indipendent Belgian test institute.
Sorry that text is in Dutch, but you van find the numbers in the text.
Mark
Krassen verwijderen door glas polijsten

That study may be valid. However, perception often being everything, the source looks like it has some skin in the game that would lead me to suspect some bias unless I could be convinced of overcynicism on my part.

[russ]

Early morning we had a light shower and as it is in the middle of olive flowering time there is greenish yellow pollen all over. With the shower you can easily tell who has a garage. Events like this would cut power production.