Good quality module glass combined with the angle of most rooftops assists with the cleaning process along with rain.
Pollen on solar panels.
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.
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.
I generally tell customers that regular rain showers in new england keep solar panels clear of dust and pollen.
After all anything that accumulates dirt on them for example dust or pollen will get washed off the next time it rains.
Guest post by roy van cleef new england clean energy technical sales.
In most cases you won t need to clean your solar panels often if at all.
Often homeowners see a reduction in energy of about 25 percent.
How much electricity you lose depends on how dirty your solar panels are.
A look at pollen s effect on solar panel production.
Fortunately it s quite easy.
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.
That s kind of the same logic for solar panels too.
A frequent storm will actually wash the panels of any buildup and help them.
If the panels are dirty they absorb less sunlight and generate less electricity.
Does dirt dust and pollen affect solar energy production.
Most panels eventually experience a build up of dirt and pollen that can block sun from being absorbed by solar cells.
Using the example of canberra during the month of september the nation s capital has 9 days with rain on average and an average of 50mm of rainfall for the month so any pollen buildup that may occur should be washed.
Google conducted a groundbreaking experiment at their 1 6 mw solar farm in mountain view california.
Dirt pollen and debris reduce the solar panels ability to perform at full capacity.
Even a mild rain rinses off most of the obstructing dirt pollen etc which led them to conclude.
Most solar panel installations will be self cleaning.
Pollen accumulates on your solar panels hampering their performance.
Why should i clean my solar panels.
There are some times it might make sense to clean your solar panels though.
Dirty solar panels do mean power loss.