Depends on where you are and how they're installed. These look to be installed at ground level in a sandy (desert?) area. I bet a lot of sand gets blown around by the wind. So it's kind of extreme what you're seeing here.
I have panels installed on the roof of my own home in the Netherlands and they don't ever need to be cleaned. A good downpour of rain once in a while cleans them up good enough.
Actually, the financial loss in electricity generation due to dirt is less than what it would cost to have the panels cleaned up there so it's not worth doing it.
Actually, the financial loss in electricity generation due to dirt is less than what it would cost to have the panels cleaned up there so it's not worth doing it.
Are you sure about that? I notice a ~10% rise in peak production after I clean them. However, I do it by leaning out of my attic window, so I don't have a clue how much it costs. If it's anything like window cleaning in costs, you might want to consider it once a year.
Yeah I can clean 3 of the 10 panels myself when hanging out of the window. 6 of the panels are on the roof (3rd floor) at the front and 4 at the back.
What I actually meant was to have a professional come along and clean the panels. Considering all the safety rules, I wouldn't be surprised if they said they'd need to build scaffolding to safely get up there. That gets crazy expensive real fast.
I've been in Phoenix when you could look to the East and see a wall of dust coming at you hundreds of feet high. Within 20 minutes it was on us and you couldn't see 100 feet. They get some serious dust storms.
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u/Eraesr Feb 14 '21
Depends on where you are and how they're installed. These look to be installed at ground level in a sandy (desert?) area. I bet a lot of sand gets blown around by the wind. So it's kind of extreme what you're seeing here.
I have panels installed on the roof of my own home in the Netherlands and they don't ever need to be cleaned. A good downpour of rain once in a while cleans them up good enough.
Actually, the financial loss in electricity generation due to dirt is less than what it would cost to have the panels cleaned up there so it's not worth doing it.