Solar Panel Robotic Cleaner

[Ellington Walford]

Ecoppiaoffers an unparalleled amount of information flowing from its solar robot cleaner to the state-of-the-art cloud-based servers and Ecoppia's AI - being able to overcome obstructions, delivering terra bytes of readings.

With deep learning and advanced analytical tools, Ecoppia translates the flood of data received from the utility scale PV site into actionable operational insights provided to the PV site O&M teams through customized dashboards.

These intricate systems function at their best when they are clean, as the debris covers the essential parts that absorb the energy needed. This is why we at WCR would like to introduce to you the next generation of solar panel cleaning technology: SolarCleano.

Fully autonomous and versatile is the SolarCleano F1A. This robot is designed to clean not just solar panels on rooftops, but expansive solar panel installations on fields and farms, too. SolarCleano F1A embodies the next generation of innovation. It is the most agile autonomous cleaning robot, with precise positioning, inter-robot communication, and a feel-management system, as it can cross over gaps up to 27.5 inches, and knows when to alter its pathway. Fast and efficient solution for cleaning solar panels autonomously without supervision, compatible with any type of solar panel system, and ideal for glass or rooftops with solar panel installations.

The artificial intelligence implemented by SolarCleano allows the F1A to be programmed to clean day and night for long shifts, and it will automatically know when to recharge its batteries and perform troubleshooting. The F1A can clean for up to 24 hours a day under high concentrations of heat. The LED light system allows for cleaning during nighttime conditions. In addition, the F1A can even be launched straight after a sandstorm to eliminate panel-coating dust. The complete automation concept reduces on-site labor tasks to zero, ensuring a safe and sustainable solar panel cleaning environment.

Ultra-lightweight and versatile is the SolarCleano M1 mini robot cleaner. This is perfect for smaller solar installations and is designed to clean both wet and dry panels. This is remote-controlled and battery-powered, with a battery life of 3 hours and 30 minutes before charging. The robot can be dismounted into 3 parts, each weighing less than 26 pounds, for easy transportation with an assembly time of approximately 3-5 minutes. The SolarCleano Mini solar panel cleaning robot has a lightweight structure and can fit into any type of vehicle and be conveniently carried and operated by a single person.

SolarCleano Mini is effective on all types of solar panels and even glass. It has a remote control from a range of 656 feet and connects to standard garden hoses of .5-.6 inches. Additionally, it features valves to adjust water pressure if needed. Four types of brushes are interchangeable, each one designed for cleaning different types of soil conditions. These Helicoidal brushes leave no trace of dirt or debris, due to their expertly-engineered shape.

The SolarCleano T1A is the autonomous robot transporter. This intelligent machine transports solar cleaning robots from one-panel row to the next on advanced caterpillar wheels. It is ideal for ground-mounted installation, has a maximum inclination of 25, and has a platform height of up to 6 feet. It can communicate through artificial intelligence with other SolarCleano robots and is compatible with SolarCleano F1, M1, and F1A. It conveniently tilts to the correct angle of any solar installation for seamless operation. No need to worry about moving your solar panel cleaning robot - leave the job to the Transporter. It can easily and quickly carry your cleaning robot from one-panel row to the next. With one single operator, you can now clean up to 4 MW per day without even carrying your solar cleaning robot around.

This feat of human engineering is programmable to work day and night, efficient for wet and dry cleaning, and connected to weather stations and monitoring systems that influence its behavior. Implemented with artificial intelligence, the B1A knows to charge itself before harsh weather, such as sandstorms, occurs. It receives orders to activate to clean up when needed and adapts to gaps between panels and different heights seamlessly without human intervention and while maintaining constant control while applying proper pressure.

The B1A is perfect for tracking panels that change their inclination and remain stable thanks to the damper suspension system. It comes equipped with four kinds of brushes that have been developed to remove different types of dirt. Prepared with a thermal camera to inspect the health of the panels through the detections of hotspots, microcracks, broken panels, and yellowing. This capacity to read the environment prevents collisions with objects and people during cleaning.

This revolutionary, fully-automated solar robot has been designed for cleaning ground-mounted utility-scale power plants worldwide. It is the biggest, smartest, and fastest robot developed by SolarCleano so far. The SolarBridge can be equipped with cleaning brushes of up to 19 feet, increasing the cleaning capacity by 3 times compared to current state-of-the-art solutions. Cleaning at night is equally efficient, with its advanced programmed settings. The cleaning and operational status of the robot can be remotely tracked through dedicated SolarCleano web and mobile apps. For the solution to ground-based utility-scale solar pants, this fully autonomous dry-cleaning robot will be the one for you.

It comes with 4 Heliocoidal brush options, 360 Wheel rotation, battery life of up to 8 hours, and a charge time of 3 hours. To avoid contact with humans or objects, this robot self-adapts to height and inclination. You can program sessions for cleaning anytime and can operate the B1 under any weather condition.

The basic goal of the Scrobby Solar project is to develop a robot that is able to clean solar panels autonomously. This with an affordable price target (350 euros) and minimal modifications to the system. After comparing some options I chose to work with just rain water for the cleaning actions (no need for a water supply, no frost issues in winter) and a tether based motion system.

Despite my video production talents and with some quick help of my sister I've managed to upload a quick introduction video. It shows some of the making process, plus some test runs on my small scale testing setup (which is a lot easier to work on than climb a roof and dance for rain every time I want to test something).

It's been a touch quiet here, but not for me! I've been working on getting things ready for the next step in this project: Getting ready for production. I like the idea of Kickstarter from the start, the idea of combining testing your product's market reception with getting this crucial bit of early stage financing is very appealing. Usually financing in this stage is based on best guesses based on the appeal of the product and market position tools (patents, etc). Kickstarter and similar ideas allow you to gain real world feedback from a much earlier stage.

Before heading into the electronic designs I'd like to go over the mechanics of the second prototype and the changes made. I think it'll clarify some of the demands put on the electric designs I'll be discussing later on.

An autonomous and sustainable robotic system for cleaning photovoltaic panels, without the use of water: this new solution, developed for Enel Green Power by a Sicilian start-up, tells a story of successful innovation.

Manual cleaning in solar parks or rooftop installations is often not feasible, due to its scale, so you will need to use some help. A big share of solar assets owners or maintenance teams use robots to optimize the cleaning of photovoltaic solar panels.

Each robot has its advantages and limitations, so you need to make sure that you choose the right robot for your needs. Before buying, do your research and talk with others that already use them. Most solar cleaning companies are really approachable and will share with you their experience.

The SolarCleano F1 has been designed to meet all your needs in cleaning all types of installations. Suitable for wet and dry cleaning on any type of solar installations. The robot can be dismounted into 4 parts for easy transportation. Highly mobile, it can be easily carried and operated by one person. The assembly and disassembly of robot can be completed within 3 minutes. The robot is battery operated and controlled from the ground.

The hyCLEANER specializes in cleaning ground-mounted PV systems and roof-mounted installations. In just a few steps, the machine is mounted and ready for use without the need of any tools. The integrated automated driving function with lane keeping system and speed control, allows the machine to drive independently over the panels. Thanks to the standard edge detection system with fall protection sensors, the robot stops automatically when it reaches the edge of the solar panel.

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