BalcoNano® Self-cleaning coating on PV panels

We were in fact quite surprised by the results. Over a three months period which we did not clean the panels period the uncoated panels production reduced by 28% whereas the coated panel production reduced by only 6%! An amazing difference. In addition to this fact when we came to clean the panels after the three months the coated panels took minutes to clean as they only required a quick wipe with a wet cloth, whereas the uncoated panels took substantially longer requiring soap and scrubbing. To summarize on the subject of ROI and yield calculation on PV systems it is important to include a cleaning regime and cost that into your expenditures. A good way to reduce cleaning cycle and maintenance costs on the glass of the PV panels is to apply a self-cleaning coating such as the BalcoNano® coating to the panels. BalcoNano® is to Glass like Teflon® is to your frying pan. BalcoNano® is a transparent shield that is applied to any glass or ceramic surface, giving it a hard and durable water repellent and self-cleaning surface. Scientific breakthroughs in the field of Nano technology coupled with the unique properties of the lotus leaves has culminated in this fantastic product. Glass may appear to have a smooth surface but infact possesses a microscopically pitted surface prone to the attraction and imbedding of dirt, grime, dust, bacteria, calcium and other deposits. Untreated glass surfaces will invariably deteriorate over time as dirt and these other deposits get lodged into the surface. The glass becomes more and more dirty, opaque and harder to clean. BalcoNano® is a hard, durable protective coating that covers the pitted surface of glass and other ceramic or silica based surfaces, making it smooth and water repellent. Dirt and other deposits cannot cling to the glass surface and either wash away easily or can be easily cleaned with water and a cloth. BalcoNano® eliminates the need to use harsh chemical cleaners on the glass. This Eco-friendly property saves thousands of gallons of chemical waste polluting our water and earth. BalcoNano® is in use every day by industry professionals, window cleaners, glass installers, shower installers and the private household user. Now available in an easy to apply “wet wipe” sachet packaging for easy storage and use.

Photo voltaic (PV) panels are still an excellent revenue scheme, even with the reduction of tariffs. The long term investment pays off, as long as the electricity production of the panels remains in the band of expectation.When choosing to install a PV system on your roof you are usually presented with the expected yield or manufacture capabilities of the system you choose. This depends on the number and size of your panels, the region in which you live and the angle/direction of installation.
Dust and dirt affect the yield and ROIThe yield is better in longer daylight months and of course reduces as the hours of day light reduce, however one of the hidden aspects that affect the yield and ROI (return on investment) is dust and dirt build up on the glass.Dirt, grime and dust will block out the sun’s rays to a larger or greater extent and impact directly on your income from the system.Solar panelsWe have seen production reduced as much as 65% when the panels get dirty. This can turn a profit generating system into a loss if you do not watch out. And therefore a regular cleaning regime must also be part of the calculation of PV systems if you want to maintain maximum production.Recently we tested using the BalcoNano® self-cleaning glass coating on some of our panels that are  installed on our building roofs, a 55KW (kilowatt) and a separate 27.5KW system. Having a “solar edge” monitoring system installed allows us to see production from specific panel groups and compare them to other panel groups.We decided to see if the coating, which we regularly use on balustrade and window system would keep the panels cleaner. This will show up in production numbers of the coated panels as opposed to the uncoated panels between cleaning cycles.The test was carried out by comparing 30 uncoated panels compared with 30 panels coated with BalcoNano® hand applied coating using the BalcoNano® sachets. The panel manufacturer is Sharp and the panel model is NDR-245W. The test was carried out between May 2012 and July 2012.