Applying Self-Cleaning Solar Panel Coatings
Discover the benefits of Aqueous Guard® solar panel coatings, designed and manufactured in the UK. Engineered specifically for the renewable energy sector, our self-cleaning coatings are incredibly efficient, increasing panel output while reducing the need for maintenance. What’s more, there’s no need to use harsh chemical cleaners, making this an even more environmentally-friendly option. Get in touch today to find out more.
The Science
Once your coating is applied, small, nano-sized particles enter the microscopic pores of the surface, covalently bonding to the substrate and creating a hydrophobic, easy-to-clean protective layer that lasts up to 3 years.
In non-coated installations, water spreads over the surface, reducing the amount of light transferred to the PV cells and leading to less electricity being produced. The hydrophobic properties of Aqueous Guard® Solar Coat repeal water, forcing it into near-spherical droplet structures.
Taking dirt and dust particles with them, these beads of water roll off the sloped PV surface more efficiently than water on non-coated surfaces. What’s more, the surface is very durable, making it very hard to remove under all-weather types, and very easy to clean, with ‘self-cleaning’ properties during rainfall, therefore reducing the need for cleaning and increasing the efficiency of the panel.
Application
Suitable for all kinds of solar panels, Aqueous Guard® Solar Coat can be applied to panels either pre- or post-installation. Quick and simple to install, the product is a one-coat application that will be touch-dry within 5 minutes. Full curing occurs after 24 hours.
Testing and Results
The following test results are from a coating installation on Sharp 250 panels. One 4kw string was cleaned and coated, while the other was just cleaned and used as a control. Both outputs were measured every week, whilst prevailing weather conditions have also been noted. With various tests carried out in different environments, we have recorded average increases of between 12% and 20%, with some cases in excess of 27% in some cases. Here are the results:
| Monitoring Week | Output Coated (Kwh) | Output Non-Coated (Kwh) | Weekly Difference (Kwh) | Weekly Difference (%) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 17 | 14 | 3 | 21.4 | Rain and very overcast |
| Week 2 | 35 | 28 | 7 | 25 | Heavy rain majority of week |
| Week 3 | 22 | 18 | 4 | 22.2 | Some sunshine, mainly low light |
| Week 4 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 15.4 | Overcast, low light conditions |
Testimonial
“Hi Scott, Just like to let you know how impressed I am with the improvement in my solar power generation since the cleaning and application of the Nano technology. I received a rebate that was more than twice any amount I had received before!
While the clear weather may have had some impact, the fact is that after 4 years of regular rebates, this was significantly more than any other quarter. Thank you very much for all your help and I would highly recommend you and the Nano technology to any Solar owners.”
- Ian Rosser – Solar Clean Australia | February 2016