A study led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) reveals that rain alone is insufficient for removing tree pollen from solar panels. The research, conducted in North Carolina, found that tree pollen can decrease solar panel efficiency by over 15%. Manual cleaning post-rain can improve performance by 5% to 11%. Different tree pollens exhibit varying adhesion levels, and traditional stiff bristle cleaning methods may damage solar panels’ anti-reflective coatings. The study underscores the need for specialized cleaning techniques to maintain solar panel efficiency. Our soft brush technology was specifically designed to clean with optimum care.
Further studies by MIT have indicated even a 1% reduction in production at a 150 MW facility results in a $200,000 annual loss. A 15% drop in efficiency results in $250,000 in monthly losses.
For more details, visit both articles at https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/01/09/rain-insufficient-for-removing-tree-pollen-from-solar-panels/ and https://news.mit.edu/2022/solar-panels-dust-magnets-0311.
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