Solar snag bites the dust

摘要

While large desert-based solar-energy installations provide abundant amounts of clean energy, they can also become coated in fine particles of sand, leading to a decrease in their efficiency. For that reason, they must be cleaned at regular monthly intervals - a labour-intensive process that can damage the surface of the solar panels.rnNow, UK start-up Chamelic has developed a novel solution to the problem - a dust-resistant coating that can be applied to the surface of the photovoltaic panels and solar concentrator mirrors to actively repel dust for a considerable period of time. The technology is already being triaUed in several photovoltaic plants in Spain and the Middle East, and the results, so far, look promising.