The goal of Project SPACE is to create an automated solar panel cleaner that will address the adverse impact of soiling on commercial photovoltaic cells. Specifically, we hoped to create a device that increases the maximum power output of a soiled panel by 10% (recovering the amount of power lost) while still costing under 500andoperatingforupto7.0years.Asuccessfuldesignshouldoperatewithouttheuseofwater.Thiswillhelpsolarpanelarraysachieveaproductionoutputclosertotheirmaximumpotentialandsavecompaniesoncostsassociatedenergygeneration.Thecurrentapparatusutilizesabrushcleaningsystemthatcleansonsetcleaningcycles.Thedeviceusesthecombinationofageartrain(with48pitchDelringears)anda12VDCmotortospinbotha5.00footlong,0.25inchdiametervacuumbrushshaftanddrivetwosetsoftwowheels.Thepowersourceforthedrivetrainisa12Vdeepcyclelead−acidbattery.Ourlightweightdesigneliminateswaterusageduringcleaningandreducesthepotentialdangersstemmingfrommanuallabor.Ourdesign’sretailpricewasestimatedtobearound700 with a payback period of less than 3.5 years.
To date, we have created a device that improves the efficiency of soiled solar panels by 3.5% after two runs over the solar panel. We hope that our final design will continue to expand the growth of solar energy globally