There are some in Hawai’i who still question the value of having their solar panels cleaned.
Living next to the ocean while surrounded by lush greenery is an amazing experience. However, the same elements that make it so much fun to live in Hawaii can negatively affect your solar investment.
Salt from the ocean, bird droppings, and debris could cover your solar panels and make them less effective. Not to mention the high moisture can create a mold build-up on panels. Without performing comprehensive solar panel cleaning in Hawaii, you will not be getting the most out of your solar investment and will be losing money.
Let’s look closer at the importance of solar panel cleaning in Hawaii.
Signs Your Solar Panels Need Cleaning
While the signs that your solar panel requires cleaning aren’t always obvious, regular inspections can uncover such issues as:
Dirt and Dust Buildup
In Hawaii, the constant trade winds can blow dust and dirt onto solar panels. If you notice a layer of dirt covering your panels, it’s time for a cleaning. This buildup will block sunlight and reduce the panels’ ability to generate power.
Bird Droppings
Oahu’s vibrant bird population can leave droppings on solar panels. These droppings will stick to the surface, blocking sunlight. The longer they remain on the panel, the more damage they cause.
Debris from Nearby Trees
If trees are near your home, falling leaves, twigs, or flower petals can land on your solar panels. Over time, this debris will accumulate and obstruct the light. The detritus from this will be a petri dish for the black mold algae and fungus growth.
Water Spots from Heavy Rain
After a rainstorm, water spots may appear on the panels as the water evaporates and leaves mineral deposits. These spots can reduce the panels’ efficiency.
Presence of Mold or Algae
In Hawaii with our lush environment, we also have the effect of mold building on our solar panels. These organisms can spread quickly and cover large sections of the panel surface. You can find this in lush valley areas on Oahu for example, Kaneohe, Manoa, and the valleys of Palolo to mention a few areas – you can see this as black swaths literally growing up from the bottom of the panel until it covers the whole panel blocking out not just some but all of the sunlight coming in.
Monitor your energy bills and solar panel output regularly. A noticeable drop in energy production without changing weather patterns could indicate dirty panels.
Is Solar Panel Cleaning in Hawaii Worth It?
Regular solar panel cleaning in Hawaii is worth it for many reasons. Here are just a few of them.
- Maximize Energy Efficiency: Dirt, dust, bird droppings, and debris can block sunlight from reaching the solar cells. Cleaning removes these obstructions and allows your panels to operate at peak efficiency.
- Extend Panel Lifespan: Regular cleaning prevents the buildup of salt, mold, algae, and other corrosive substances common in Oahu’s humid climate. This maintenance helps avoid long-term damage and extends the life of the solar panels.
- Lower Energy Costs: Clean solar panels produce more energy, reducing your home’s reliance on the grid. Higher energy output from clean panels translates into lower electricity bills.
- Warranty Protection: Many solar panel warranties require timely maintenance to remain valid. This includes regular cleaning. By choosing to clean your panels, you are protecting your investment. At Pacific Panel Cleaners you will always get a report on the work that was done and this is a legal record of work done by a licensed contractor.
- Germ Removal: When you have bird droppings they carry diseases including but not limited to psittacosis and salmonella.
As a bonus, clean solar panels look better on your roof. Removing dirt and debris doesn’t just help you save money. It also enhances the appearance of your property.
In short, solar panel cleaning in Hawaii is worth it.
We are here to protect your solar investment, you invested the money to do the first step of going green, and make sure it is working at its peak efficiency to save you green!
Get Comprehensive Solar Panel Cleaning & Maintenance from Pacific Panel Cleaners
Regular maintenance is an integral part of consistent solar panel operation. Homeowners who put off thorough solar panel cleaning in Hawaii could face multiple issues, including system breakdown.
At Pacific Panel Cleaners, we understand the numerous nuances of solar panel maintenance. Our experienced team knows exactly what to do to help your panels function properly as we have been doing since 2009 and will continue to do for many years to come. To schedule a cleaning and inspection on Oahu or Maui, please contact us at any time.
We are here to keep the sun working for you!
Call us today at (808) 772-4705
(See the before and after-cleaning photographs, below, Figs. 1 – 16.)
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Figure 1: Mold, algae, leaves and dirt before.
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Figure 2: After cleaning photo
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Figure 3: Construction and factory dusting before
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Figure 4: After the cleaning
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Figure-6-After-the-system-was-cleaned
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Figure 7: Overview of fig. 5&6 panels with the bird droppings
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Figure 8: Overview after cleaning
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Figure 9: Flat panels with dirt build up
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It’s not just that dirty panels will seriously lower efficiency, but whatever impairs them (like uric acid in bird droppings or salt in our island air) also takes its toll on the aluminum panel frames, exposed pipe work, and external wiring all of which when damaged can distort the system’s essential “balance”.
Among the locally sourced soiling and corrosive ingredients is that of VOG, or Volcanic Organic Gases, an intermittent feature of the Hawaiian Islands. This acid rain is created by mother nature on the Big Island, and for days on end can blanket the entire island chain including Kauai. Others have studied its corrosive effect on fences, vehicles, and buildings. For years, we at PPC have been coping with the effect of VOG on clients’ photovoltaic and solar panels. The problem with VOG is that it will accumulate undetected while it eats slowly away at the panel’s anti-reflective coating.
Figs. 17 and 18 show what also happens when drizzle or light rain (but not the flushing effect of a downpour) causes VOG-laden water to drip from the corner of panels beneath which the particulate concentrates and then corrodes. Pitting from VOG is frequently seen on panel frames, and over time the acid deposit will cause even USE 2-rated wiring to fade and become brittle appreciably faster than is normal.
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Figure-17-Area-of-corrosion-at-drip-point
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Figure 18: You can see the exact area of drip from the PV panels. The VOG had accumulated on then came off with rain.
Please Note: Figs. 17 and 18 were taken on a system which had not previously been cleaned and inspected. PPC began taking preventative measures years ago, and close inspection shows that professional intervention has halted the spread of the VOG-caused damage.
At the outset of this informative article we noted that whenever a system is designed with 10% or 20% over-capacity, its designer is in effect alerting the owner that neglected dirt on the panels will impair their efficiency by a significant amount. So, buyers beware!
Panel manufacturers also strike a warning note in their warranty guide that they are required to supply to the customer. In Section 5 of this guide is where you will find their recommendation that the panels should be cleaned annually, presumably no matter how clean or foul the local air might be. Thus, in the volcanic Hawaiian Islands’ comparatively harsh marine environment where salt laden air, VOG, uric acid bird-droppings, and other pollutants are unavoidable, it stands to reason that the manufacturer is giving sound advice.
Think of it this way: When your car manual advises changing the engine oil every so many thousand miles, only a cynic would suppose the recommendation is to help sell motor oil! On the contrary, it is part and parcel of the smart preventive maintenance of a costly vehicle. An oil change is cheap, but electricity from the Grid is certainly not, anywhere in the Hawaiian Islands. Consumers on Oahu are paying 30 cents a kilowatt hour, while on Maui, Hawai’i, and Kauai it’s 40 cents. On Molokai and Lanai currently it is 50 cents per kilowatt hour ….and there, as elsewhere, it will no doubt keep on rising. Hence the importance of maintaining your photovoltaic/solar system in top working order. Regular cleaning of the panels is the critical first step; at PPC we have seen an average of 7% to 10% efficiency gain on a number-to-number basis. But, cleaning itself is often not enough, and is especially so with systems that are three or more years old.
Only when the panels are properly clean can a close inspection then reveal a host of less visible factors that might already be robbing your system of full efficiency. If left undetected, these factors could potentially require major repairs. Figures 19 through 26 illustrate different types of panel blemishing, de-lamination, burn marks, and even manufacturing defects all which merit watching even if immediate attention and possibly replacement is not yet required. Time is of the essence.
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It takes a fully certified professional to spot some of these defects in the panels themselves as well as to identify other issues the owner will want to know about, such as an installer’s initial error or ill-advised quick cut when laying out all else that goes into the making of a well-designed, balanced, and truly efficient system. Given your sizable investment, we are not talking here of something akin to mere window washing! Far from it. At PPC, we are fully certified, qualified, and experienced to provide maintenance services above and beyond the TLC cleaning of your precious panels.
Fredrick G Brooks, CEM,CEA
Pacific Panel Cleaners LLC Owner
