Disruptive Solar Panel Cleaning Technology Advances

A disruptive technology to reduce dirt buildup on solar panels known as “electrodynamic screen technology or EDS^TM “ advances with an 11-panel field trial in the United States.

A startup out of Boston Massachusetts called Sol Clarity implemented the largest successful field trial of a technology to prevent photovoltaic soiling known as EDS^TM  or electrodynamic screen. Dirt accumulation on solar panels or “PV Soiling” is a constant challenge for solar asset managers and electrodynamic screen technology automates prevents PV soiling dirt buildup without water. Traditional cleaning methods consume water and come with many operational challenges. Solar panel cleaning solution providers are hard to find and are often unreliable. Even solar panel cleaning robots require maintenance throughout the lifetime of the solar installation. EDS^TM technology automates cleaning and has no maintenance. This technology has a radically different approach from other automated solar panel cleaning solutions like robots since it moves the dirt off the solar panels without abrasion, water, or hardware maintenance. EDS is not a brush-based system.

The EDS™ consists of rows of interdigitated, parallel electrodes that charge dust particles with static electricity and sweep them off the surface by a generated traveling electric wave, all the while drawing negligible power from the solar power itself. It uses no esoteric rare materials or exotic components. The technology is novel, but the ingredients are simple.

VIDEO Electrodynamic Screen Technology Video

EDS™ technology stack

EDS™ laminated on glass.

In an interview with Sol Clarity’s CEO Ryan Eriksen, he expressed that ideally this technology should be adopted by solar asset managers, PV module manufacturers, and solar glass manufacturers. Every solar panel would be made  EDS™ and the estimated market size is roughly 35 trillion square meters by 2050. “When they were first made, cars didn’t have windshield wipers. Now it’s unthinkable not to have them. It is the same with the EDS”. Electrodynamic Screen technology can also be applied to solar panels that are already in the field known as the retrofit market. Solar asset managers would gain a significant advantage by applying the solution in the field for areas with high soiling levels. Ryan Eriksen expressed that the retrofit market is just as important as the PV module manufacturing industry and is designing the Sol Clarity solution to be ideal for both markets. 

The Nexamp field trial is one of the largest trials in EDS history. The 11-panel trial was carried out at Nexamp’s Massachusetts site proving multiple engineering challenges were possible. The project was facilitated by Mass Ventures and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC). Eleven full-scale solar panels equipped with EDS, complete with their power boxes and intricate circuitry, were meticulously installed, marking a significant leap forward in sustainable solar technology. 

11 solar panel field trials of electrodynamic screen technology

Sol Clarity is not the only electrodynamic screen technology company, other companies include CleanFizz based out of Switzerland, and SuperClean Glass based out of New York. 

Swiss startup CleanFizz has also made significant strides in bringing the technology closer to a commercial solution. A comparable field trial was carried out in Saudia Arabia by CleanFizz. In this field trial, 2 solar panels were tested. The self-cleaning panels achieved an efficiency above 95.7%, demonstrating the remarkable effectiveness of the solution solution. CleanFizz’s approach includes the EDS technology in their PV module rather than selling just the EDS. 

The pilot setup was remotely controlled by CleanFizz from Geneva Switzerland in collaboration with a team from KAUST university NEO test site.

New York startup SUPERClean Glass’s successful field trials were conducted in Arizona. The field trials include 18-150mm panels. The test was carefully designed to replicate a similar situation of utility-scale installation in an arid region where fixed-tilt solar installations are commonplace. The 18-150mm panels were set at 10 degrees. Jim Smith, VP for Business Development and Engineering stated – “Having passed the first few milestones of industry standard tests, this next phase is focused on scale up and driving costs down.  We need to develop systems and processes to produce a football field of patterned glass per day and drive costs down for a competitive ROI. Of course the societal benefit is in the elimination of the use of potable water.”

Dr. Shrish Patel field testing SUPERClean Glass at 

Arizona State Univ Photovoltaic Reliability Lab

The need for solar panel cleaning solutions are on the rise as solar grows worldwide. For example, in 2024 the largest distributor of solar panel cleaning solutions in the USA launched their marketplace known as SPCFonline.com. The marketplace contains over 700 SKUs and covers products for the residential, commercial, industrial, and utility-scale segments. Similar sites are springing up across the world like https://www.solarcleaningshop.com/en in Europe. In an interview with Chris Virgin, founder of SPCFonline.com, he stated that sales are growing and he believes these will continue as long as solar grows. “Every solar panel will have to be cleaned at one point in its lifetime. We bring the best and safest solar panel cleaning solutions to the US market.” 

PV soiling management and solutions are on the agenda of decision makers and the quest to find the right solutions for variable problems begins. After all, solar panel cleaning is a means to an end which is the performance of a solar asset. PV soiling management is especially challenging in remote solar installations where soiling levels are high. While arid regions are known to be classic high-soiling areas, so are solar farms near limestone quarries or other mining facilities. Soiling levels in these regions can average as much as 1% per day wiping out 100% of product in just 100 days.

Electrodynamic screen technology disrupts the standard approach to solar panel cleaning which typically includes brush-based systems with different levels of automation. Other disruptive solar panel cleaning solutions include photocatalytic ceramic coatings. The 3 startups claim the technology works in the field and the next challenge is to go from advanced prototypes to mass production. According to all 3 startup founders, EDS technology requires no maintenance.