Desert

Scientists from Israel have used nanowires to detach particles from the surfaces of solar panels. The proposed microscopic self-cleaning technology is said to raise the efficiency of particle removal with hydrophobicity.

An AFP newswire report this week said Ministry of New & Renewable Energy secretary Anand Kumar had announced plans for 30 GW of generation capacity in the state of Gujarat and 25 GW in Rajasthan, all of it along a 20-25km strip of semi arid land on the border.

A new study shows solar may help reduce water pumping costs in a desert oasis of Mauritania significantly while reducing water losses. Researchers claim PV water pumping may also help prevent desertification.

Soiling and solar: No two solar plants are ever the same, and the conditions that can impact energy yield can literally change with the wind. Soiled solar modules had long been considered a minor nuisance for the sector, but as understanding of how soiling affects output improves, so have techniques and technologies to tackle the persistent problem of dirty modules.

The Dutch specialty group believes its sand-resistant coating for solar panels will be particularly suitable for desert areas. The new technology is currently being tested at a solar plant in China’s Gobi Desert.

Miraikikai’s offering is the first water-free and automated cleaning robot for utility-scale solar plants, which could help solve the challenge of dust in arid regions and deserts, which can be a real problem for plant energy generation rates.