Robot for Cleaning Solar PV Module to Support Rooftop PV Development

Abstract

One factor that influence energy production of a rooftop PV is the cleanliness of the solar module. If solar module is dirty the energy generated will also reduce. Therefore, solar module needs to be kept clean. One of the challenges of rooftop PV, the solar module is difficult to clean due to its position on the roof. One solution is to clean the module with the help of cleaning robot. In this study a solar module cleaning robot was developed. The robot must be able to navigate the surface area of solar module thoroughly, cleaning it with a brush, and rinsing it by water spray. The robot shall also be able to send image and video wirelessly and also able to fly to reach the rooftop solar module. At this stage, the robot has been built using servo robot drive, limit switches for navigation, servo brush system, and pump drive. The test results showed that the robot has been able to trace the surface of ASL-M200 solar module and brushing the dirt, and rinsing it with water. Future work is to equip the robot with lifting or flying engine and wireless data communication capabilities so rooftop PV owner can keep their solar module in good and clean condition.