Optimal condition-based cleaning of solar power collectors

摘要

Cleaning costs of mirrors contribute a significant portion in operation and maintenance costs (0 &M) of concentrating solar power (CSP) systems. The optimal cleaning policy is obtained from a tradeoff between revenue received from generating electricity and the costs of conducting cleaning operations (e.g. water, labor, etc.). However, this balance depends strongly on the local electricity market and weather conditions and currently available cleaning policies have not considered variation in electricity prices nor the potential for "natural" cleaning events (e.g. rain).