Easy measurement of photovoltaic panel soiling ratio with an innovative, solid-state solution.
Delft, the Netherlands (25 May 2017) – Kipp & Zonen, the world leader in solar radiation measurement, will proudly present a completely new technology and product to monitor PV panel soiling at Intersolar Europe 2017 in Munich.
Soiling of the panel glass is one of the major problems in the rapidly expanding solar energy market, with the attendant loss of efficiency and reduction in performance ratios. Now, there’s a new, simple and very cost-effective alternative. Based on Kipp & Zonen’s unique Optical Soiling Measurement (OSM) technology, DustIQ can be easily added to new or existing solar arrays and integrated into plant management systems. The unit is mounted to the frame of a PV panel and does not need sunlight to operate. It continuously measures the transmission loss through glass caused by soiling, so that the reduction in light reaching the solar cells can be calculated.
Know exactly when and where to clean
DustIQ measures the soiling ratio (SR), which can be translated to power loss in real time. This enables the plant operation and maintenance staff to know when a critical level of soiling is reached and it has become necessary to start cleaning procedures. Dust IQ needs no maintenance and is cleaned in the same way, and at the same time, as the panels around it.
