Maximising solar efficiency with the power of wind

A simple system uses wind to clean dust off solar panels, improving their power output

Spotted: Solar panels can lose around 22 per cent of their energy output due to the accumulation of dust, with this problem posing a particular challenge in regions with extended dry seasons. Because many solar panels are placed on roofs, it’s often difficult and expensive to clean them. Now, however, startup Dustoss has developed a solution that makes cleaning solar panels easy.

Dustoss’s cleaning system harnesses the power of the wind to remove dust from solar streetlights and other off-grid small solar surfaces. The system consists of transparent aerodynamic strips attached to the sides of the solar panel. The strips flutter in the wind, ‘tossing’ the dust off the surface of the panels.

Hadar Sefi, the company’s CEO, told Springwise that, “This method is highly cost-effective compared to other solutions, requires no water, detergents, or electricity, and is environmentally friendly. It can be implemented in any solar field and on any structure.” The system also includes a monitoring and control app for maintenance alerts.

Dustoss is currently available through distributors, however, Sefi explained that the company is also aiming to collaborate with solar manufacturers to integrate the cleaning strips into newly manufactured panels, adding that “this will enable clients to purchase self-cleaning solar panels at a negligible increase in price (less than one per cent).“

Making solar power more efficient is the subject of numerous recent innovations, from solar roof tiles to AI-designed panels with a novel light-harvesting design.

Written By: Lisa Magloff