Enhancing photovoltaic power efficiency: a comparative analysis of unprotected, anti-dust coated, and IoT-enabled automatic cleaning systems in solar energy conversion

Solar panel efficiency can be affected by various factors, including dust. In this study, we compared the efficiency of three solar panels over a period of three months. One panel (PV1) is cleaned daily using an intelligent automatic IoT-based system that protects it from natural threats such as high temperatures, humidity, dust, and bird droppings. Another panel (PV2) is coated with a commercial anti-dust coating, while the third one (PV3) is unprotected and used as a reference. Data on current, voltage, solar radiation, temperature, and humidity are collected using an electronic board based on ESP32. Data are recorded on Google Sheets. Among the three panels, PV3 has experienced a 15.38% loss in efficiency, while PV2 has undergone a 7.91% decrease. However, the efficiency of PV1 has decreased by 5.24%. The intelligent cleaning system uses 1.92 litres of water per month and needs 35 Wh daily to perform the cleaning operation.