US Researchers Demonstrate the Influence of Chemical Coatings on Solar Panel Performance and Snow Accumulation

Solar panel performance can be impacted when panel surfaces are coated with substances like dust, dirt, snow, or ice that scatter and/or absorb light and may reduce efficiency. As a consequence, time and resources are required to clean solar panels during and after extreme weather events or whenever surface coating occurs. Treating solar panels with chemical coatings that shed materials may decrease the operating costs associated with solar panel maintenance and cleaning. A new study investigated three commercial coatings for use as self-cleaning glass technologies.

In terms of power output, the commercial coatings made little impact on overall power production compared to the control (uncoated) panels. While the coatings made no observable difference in increasing power production compared to the control panels, the shedding results from video monitoring suggest both the hydrophilic or hydrophobic test coatings decreased snow accumulation to a greater extent than the control panels (uncoated). Controlling the wettability properties of the solar panel surfaces has the potential to limit snow accumulation when compared to uncoated panel surfaces.

https://erdc-library.erdc.dren.mil/jspui/handle/11681/48059