Passive snow removal method developed to clear snow from PVs
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In an effort to reach net zero, scientists are looking for cost-effective ways to retain current technologies effectively. While the focus has been to develop innovations to support sustainable projects, a new innovation aims to improve methods that prevent damage to PVs.
Photovoltaic systems have a tendency to suffer damage in harsh weather conditions; for instance, northern regions with lots of snow suffer annual energy losses ranging from five percent to 15 percent.
The challenges of maintaining these photovoltaic systems involve high costs, which has proved ineffective to date.
Passive snow removal method
However, a team of researchers from the University of Toledo in the United States invented a form of novel strip called Snow-Free Solar that can passively remove snow from solar panels and keep them functioning through the winter months.
The team conducted tests on 150 solar plant operators by applying the strip to the lower ledge of the panel. The result showed the innovation effectively melting snow without hindering sunlight absorption, according to Good News Network.
Snow-Free Solar is seemingly an easy-to-apply strip that does not cause any partial shading or hot spots on the panel and does not invalidate module warranty, the innovators emphasized.
The Independent reported that solar panels could generate electricity on cloudy days; however, snow cover can completely block their ability to harvest any of the Sun’s energy. This can result in up to 12 percent loss of electricity generation per year in areas with heavy snowfall.
Additionally, the strips can easily be utilized on both new and old solar panels. Hossein Sojoudi, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at the University of Toledo, stated:
“The strip coatings apply to the lower edge of the panel, resulting in passive snow removal without requiring any energy to operate.”
“Our strip coating does not interfere with absorption of sunlight or panel efficiency at any time, does not cause any partial shading or hotspots on the panel, and does not invalidate module warranty and in fact improves the lifetime of the module.”
Power-generation increase
Experiments conducted in both the United States and Japan demonstrated that solar installations equipped with the innovation achieved an annual increase in power generation of over–five percent.
According to data from the Energy Information Administration, solar energy contributed approximately 3.4 percent of electricity generation in the United States last year. However, it is projected that over half of the new electricity-generating capacity in the United States in 2023 will be derived from solar sources.
Sojoudi stated: “Through strategic partnerships, we demonstrated scalable manufacturing of our product with a monthly production rate of 60,000 strip coatings."
The company has broadened its pilot test collaborations to encompass additional regions and utility companies, with an anticipated installation count reaching thousands by the end of this year.
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