These days PV solar fields are the most cost effective clean energy out there. After a PV facility is established, there is no need for large man power on field. However there is a requirement for personnel on a regular basis to clean the panels every once-in-a-while. Sand and dust storms, accumulating on the solar panels and blocking the sun’s rays, cause efficiency loss. Loss of efficiency as a result of dusty panels can reach up to 40% and after significant dust storms even 60%. In desert areas, like the Eilat-Eilot region that can be even higher. Today, large solar fields are cleaned manually, extensively using water, manpower, and does not provide a consistent and effective cleaning. If we are considering large PV fields, these can be a few square miles large.

However, instead of manual labor, there are a few panel cleaning robotic solutions out there in the market. We are happy to showcase here two wonderful Israeli technologies that are completely automated and are water and energy economical.

Ecoppia

Ecoppia develops a patents protected technology for cleaning solar panels in large solar installations, completely automatically and without the use of water.

Ecoppia’s cleaning robot’s system clean about five million panels a month, and is installed in over 300MW worldwide.

The company was founded in 2013 and is privately owned with the support of three leading international funds. The company manufactures advanced robotic solution to minimize loss of efficiency, caused by dust and sand storms in desert areas. By the significant reduction in cleaning and maintenance cost, as well as increased production of energy, Ecoppia produces significant economic value and enables the construction of solar sites even in areas with water shortages.

BladeRanger

BladeRanger is a drone based autonomous robotic system for cleaning and inspecting solar fields. The company had developed advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology that drives the cleaning motion, optimizes the cleaning efficiency, and maps the soiling spots.

BladeRanger’s founding partners include Cogniteam (Israel’s leading autonomous robot technology company), and Bar Ilan University (a leading research institute in artificial intelligence and robotics).

BladeRanger is part of the Capital Nature investment firm portfolio, which Eilat-Eilot is partnered with.