Researchers at the University of Houston have developed a nano-coat that makes it easier to keep solar panels clean and more productive, reducing maintenance and operational costs.
The patent-pending product was successfully tested at the Dublin Institute by the director of the University's Nano-Energy Institute and professor of physics, Seamus Cullen, and will be field-tested at an engineering firm in North Carolina. Curran said that the test in Ireland in June and the test in Livingston, Charlotte, North Carolina, reflected the major steps in the coating technology's entry into the relevant market. The university has licensed a self-cleaning nano-hydrophobic layer to a newly established energy company, C-Voltaics.
Solar panels require a clean surface to effectively collect sunlight, but they are often soiled by dust, pollen, water and other particles. This nano-film coating repels these contaminants and acts as a barrier to protect the solar panels from absorbing sunlight. The coating maintains the ideal hydrophobic surface for several years, reducing overall maintenance costs.
“A dirty solar panel can reduce its power energy by up to 30%,†said Curran. “This coating basically makes the solar panel self-cleaning.†Although the coating is designed for solar panels, it can also As an anti-corrosion coating, it is widely used in other materials.
The university is a shareholder of C-Voltaics, focusing on the use of technology to mitigate the significant cost of solar panel service and maintenance, which is a key issue in solar power generation and storage. Curran said, "It can be seen that this technology will have an impact on the economy from the transition of the laboratory to the new technology of society."
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