Solar panels are a great energy alternative to coal or nuclear energy. Of course, if your panels get dusty you are going to have reduced efficiency. Rather than go out and dust those panels off all the time, why not have them do it themselves?
A technology in development that uses electric fields to sweep dust from solar panels has promise as a new self-cleaning solar panel system designed to enhance energy efficiency and reduce costs. The technology was created in the laboratory of Stony Brook University Professor Alex Orlov, and is being further developed by a Stony Brook research team named SolarClear.
The research team has received a $150,000 grant from PowerBridge NY to advance the technology, which uses tiny inexpensive electrodes to produce the electric fields. Dust on solar panels can reduce energy output at solar plants by 10%, and in desert regions by up to 25%.
According to Professor Orlov, and his PhD candidate student Shrish Patel, the researchers are developing a manufacturing process of this self-cleaning system so it can be scaled up for practical applications. They will create a prototype of the technology and conduct in-fielding testing.
“This technology can potentially boost the output of solar panels and save millions of dollars in cleaning costs once commercialized,” summarized Professor Orlov. “We were inspired by NASA technology developed for Mars rovers and made it more practical for earth applications.”
The PowerBridge grant will be awarded to the researchers in increments throughout 2018. The mission of PowerBridge NY is to turn innovations from academic research labs into viable clean tech businesses for New York State. The research was also supported by the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center at Stony Brook University.
WooHoo! Bring on the green clean!
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