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Autonomous, sustainable robot cleans solar panels
1 Min Read
A renewable energy company has developed an autonomous robot designed to clean solar panels without water.
The robot, dubbed SandStorm, was designed by Enel Green Power in collaboration with Italian startup REIWA to clear solar panels of dust, dirt and sand accumulating on their surfaces and impacting performance.
Typically, these panels are cleaned using pressure washers or hydraulic brushes, though these tools entail high water usage and gas emissions. SandStorm, by contrast, consumes no water and produces zero emissions, offering a sustainable alternative to current solutions.
“When it comes to photovoltaics, dust is the enemy,” said Enel in a press release. “This is not a trivial concept, even if it may seem so at first glance…It’s an issue that’s particularly important in desert areas, areas with low rainfall, and those characterized by the presence of very dusty soil.
“In any case, it’s something that concerns solar power everywhere, because regardless of location, cleaning the panels still involves costs, including environmental ones.”
To read the complete article, visit IoT World Today.
