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Solar Panels Dirt Monitoring and Cleaning for Performance Improvement: A Systematic Review on Smart Systems

Author

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  • Benjamin Oluwamuyiwa Olorunfemi

    (Center for Cyber-Physical Food, Energy and Water Systems (CCP-FEWS), University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa)

  • Omolola A. Ogbolumani

    (Center for Cyber-Physical Food, Energy and Water Systems (CCP-FEWS), University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa)

  • Nnamdi Nwulu

    (Center for Cyber-Physical Food, Energy and Water Systems (CCP-FEWS), University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa)

Abstract

The advancement in technology to manage energy generation using solar panels has proved vital for increased reliability and reduced cost. Solar panels emit no pollution while producing electricity as a renewable energy source. However, the solar panel is adversely affected by dirt, a major environmental factor affecting energy production. The intensity of light falling on the solar panel is reduced when dirt accumulates on the surface. This, in turn, lowers the output of electrical energy generated by the solar panel. Since cleansing the solar panel is essential, constant monitoring and evaluation of these processes are necessary to optimize them. This emphasizes the importance of using smart systems to monitor dirt and clean solar panels to improve their performance. The paper tries to verify the existence and the degree of research interest in this topic and seeks to evaluate the impact of smart systems to detect dirt conditions and clean solar panels compared to autonomous and manual technology. Research on smart systems for addressing dirt accumulation on solar panels was conducted taking into account efficiency, accuracy, complexity, and reliability, initial and running cost. Overall, real-time monitoring and cleaning of the solar panel improved its output power with integrated smart systems. It helps users get real-time updates of the solar panel’s condition and control actions from distant locations. A critical limitation of this research is the insufficient empirical analysis of existing smart systems, which should be thoroughly examined to allow further generalization of theoretical findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Benjamin Oluwamuyiwa Olorunfemi & Omolola A. Ogbolumani & Nnamdi Nwulu, 2022. "Solar Panels Dirt Monitoring and Cleaning for Performance Improvement: A Systematic Review on Smart Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-27, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:17:p:10920-:d:904065
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    References listed on IDEAS

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