Advancements in solar panel maintenance: a review of IoT-integrated automatic dust cleaning systems

This study aims to develop an IoT-integrated automatic dust cleaning device tailored for solar panels to enhance their performance and longevity. The cleaning process combines dry and wet cleaning techniques to effectively clean solar panels in a single line. First, dry cleaning methods such as brushes are used to remove loose debris like dust, leaves, and bird droppings. Then, wet cleaning is applied using a vinegar with mild detergent solution to remove stubborn stains and dirt buildup. This combination ensures thorough cleaning while minimizing water usage and environmental impact. The developed IoT-integrated automatic dust cleaning device effectively mitigates the negative impact of dust accumulation on solar panel performance. When compared to the characteristics of the clean module, the short circuit current (ISC) and output power of the photovoltaic solar modules with dust accumulation on their surface are reduced. For a day, a week, and a month of panel exposure to dust, the average deprivation rates of the solar modules' efficiency exposed to dust are 7.32%, 10.78%, and 14.52%, respectively. Experimental results demonstrate significant improvements in energy output and operational efficiency of in average of 12.37 %, following the implementation of this cleaning system. This system shows good solution to analyze the solar panel performance and to optimize it. This study presents a novel approach by integrating IoT technology into automatic dust cleaning devices for solar panels, enabling proactive maintenance and remote monitoring capabilities. It offers both dry and wet cleaning methods consequently for having optimized output. The innovative design contributing to the sustainability of solar energy systems with low cost for the users and provides remote accessing of data from anywhere in the world through cloud server. It is cost effective solution for the solar farm maintenance and helps in reducing the frequent manual interventions.