UC Berkeley

Solar panels often suffer from dust accumulation, significantly reducing their output, especially in desert regions where many of the worlds largest solar plants are located. Here, an autonomous dust removal system for solar panels, powered by a wind-driven rotary electret generator is proposed. The generator applies a high voltage between one solar panels output electrode and an upper mesh electrode to generate a strong electrostatic field. It is discovered that dust particles on the insulative glass cover of the panel can be charged under the high electrical field, assisted by adsorbed water, even in low-humidity environments. The charged particles are subsequently repelled from the solar panel with the significant Coulomb force. Two panels covered with sand dust are cleaned in only 6.6 min by a 15 cm diameter rotary electret generator at 1.6 m s-1 wind speed. Experimental results manifest that the system can work effectively in a wide range of environmental conditions, and doesnt impact the panel performance for long-term operation. This autonomous system, with its high dust removal efficiency, simplicity, and low cost, holds great potential in practical applications.