Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 25th July 2024 Issue no. 1124
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Thousands of homes and businesses missing out on full energy generation potential this summer
Thousands of homes and businesses could be left out of pocket this summer according to experts from Rentokil Specialist Hygiene. The organisation, which has launched a new solar panel cleaning service to boost the efficiency of domestic and commercial electricity generation, warns that dirty solar panels will see homes and businesses potentially miss out on the equivalent of up to seven hours of sunshine a day.
With more than 14 hours of daylight due to fall on the UK's 14.6GW* of residential, commercial and industrial rooftop solar capacity per day, Rentokil Specialist Hygiene warns that energy generation could be cut by up to half due to dust and pollen coating the panels.
Dry and hot periods result in dirt settling on solar panels reducing their efficiency and decreasing their power output by up to half** by blocking or scattering the incoming sunlight. Manufacturers recommend that panels are regularly cleaned to maximise their efficiency.
To boost Britain's generation potential Rentokil Specialist Hygiene's solar panel cleaning service uses pure deionised water to remove dirt and debris from solar panels without leaving lime deposits behind on the glass, and is twice as fast as traditional techniques.
Jamie Woodhall, UK Technical and Innovations Manager at Rentokil Specialist Hygiene comments:
"One in six homes and businesses now have solar panels yet few of us realise just how much money we could be missing out on by failing to have them regularly cleaned. Manufacturers recommend panels are cleaned up to twice a year, and with hotter, drier springs and summers in the UK becoming more common, dust and pollen deposits are a growing problem.
"Failing to clean your solar panels could cut your generation capacity by the equivalent of seven hours per day in August, reducing output to the same levels as the depths of winter. Our advanced solar panel cleaning services remove dirt and debris from solar panels without damage or residue, helping them to maintain their maximum efficiency and prevent long term performance decreases".
Rentokil Specialist Hygiene is a leading specialist cleaning company in the UK, delivering a fast response, discreet and legally compliant array of commercial cleaning and disinfection services, to help businesses to maintain a high level of hygiene throughout their premises. Rentokil Specialist Hygiene offers a range of specialist disinfection services, specialist cleaning services, commercial kitchen services, washroom cleaning services and hygiene products to help protect customers, colleagues, visitors and home owners.
*SolarEnergyUK figures
**Effects of Dust on the Performance of PV Panels - International Journal of Mechanical, Aerospace, Industrial, Mechatronic and Manufacturing Engineering Vol 5. No:10, 2011
17th August 2023