Self-cleaning Solar Panels Using Smart Photocatalytic Surface Coating Technology

The project is addressing the significant revenue losses in solar energy due to soiling effects, projected to rise to twenty-two billion euros by 2027. Research indicates that soiling can reduce solar panel performance by sixteen percent in the first year. Additionally, in the United States, the average annual household cost for solar panel cleaning and maintenance is significant.

Developing a reliable, self-operating solution for solar panel cleaning is crucial to conserve water, detergent, and labor. Current self-cleaning coating materials on the market are either costly, environmentally harmful, or lack durability.

Building on insights from previous work with titanium materials, the project proposes a cost-effective coating solution based on titanium dioxide (TiO₂), developed by Kastus Technologies, a start-up associated with TU-Dublin. This TiO₂ coating is environmentally friendly and easy to apply over large surfaces to create self-cleaning solar panels.

When integrated into the solar panel's cover glass, the coating produces a super-hydrophilic surface that efficiently removes water and organic contaminants like dust and bird droppings. The self-cleaning efficiency is ninety-two percent higher than standard glass, reducing cleaning frequency by over fifty percent and enhancing energy performance by more than twelve percent.

The project receives support from professors at Trinity College Dublin and will utilize facilities at the AMBER research center and the CREST center at TU-Dublin.