Spring is in the air – and with it, pollen. How much of an impact can pollen have on the electricity output of solar panels?
Professor Simon Haberle from the Australian National University (ANU) operates the airborne pollen monitoring website Canberra Pollen. Professor Haberle says the peak season for pollen in the nation’s capital is under way with the start of spring and pollen is so thick in some spots in the ACT that a “green haze” has been sighted.
A buildup of gunk and grime on a solar panel can certainly decrease its efficiency.
A recent study by researchers from the Institute of Engineering at Tribhuvan University in Nepal found the efficiency of a solar module left to natural dust deposition decreased by 29.76% compared to a module cleaned on daily basis.
However, that experiment was carried out in the city of Kathmandu; an extreme scenario given its very dry winters and high air pollution. Kathmandu was ranked the third most polluted city in the world in Pollution Index 2016.
The good news is while pollen can certainly bring misery to many people with allergies, it’s probably not a huge deal for most owners of solar panels in Australia and households shouldn’t be losing sleep over it.
Most solar panel installations will be self-cleaning. Good quality module glass combined with the angle of most rooftops assists with the cleaning process, along with rain. Using the example of Canberra during the month of September, the nation’s capital has 9 days with rain on average and an average of 50mm of rainfall for the month – so any pollen buildup that may occur should be washed away rather quickly.
Even in the dusty outback of South Australia, rooftop solar panels installed at a reasonable angle stay relatively clean during the dry season.
Where pollution, dust and pollen may result in issues in some areas are scenarios where the panels are only tilted a few degrees, or are installed at ground level. Another soiling risk is bird poop – particularly where pigeons are prevalent.
For owners of solar power systems that do require cleaning, it’s incredibly important to put safety first. Pick up some tips on cleaning solar panels.
News item provided courtesy of Energy Matters Australia
