For companies with large numbers of solar panels, it is important to clean their panels with the right cleaning agent. This is because damage and stains lead to yield losses. In this blog, we tell you which types of cleaning agents we use and which we do not!
Which water as cleaning agent for solar panels: the methods of professionals
1. Lime-free water
Tap water often contains lime, which causes spots and streaks on glass surfaces. Lime-free water prevents these deposits, leaving solar panels streak-free clean and performing optimally.
2. Rainwater
Rainwater contains few minerals and is therefore gentler on solar panels. When used professionally, the rainwater does need to be properly filtered first. It is an environmentally friendly option, if applied properly.
3. Osmosis water
Osmosis water is ultra-purified water, where virtually all salts and minerals are removed via reverse osmosis. This creates a residue-free solar panel cleaner. This water leaves no traces and guarantees a perfectly clean result.
Read more about our innovative robot cleaner which efficiently applies osmosis water to large plants.
Water not used by SolarWash
Not every type of water is suitable as a cleaning agent for solar panels:
- Groundwater often contains a lot of iron, lime or other minerals that cause damage and reduce efficiency.
- Ditch water is rich in organic matter, algae and pollution - this can corrode the panel surface or clean it badly.
- Household products such as washing-up liquid or all-purpose cleaner are not suitable either. These leave a layer of grease that reduces efficiency and damages the coating.
Filtration technology & sustainable approach
On site, we use mobile filter units that run entirely on solar energy. With these plants, we convert mains or rainwater to osmosis-quality water. Cleaning is done with sustainable vehicles, battery packs and solar panels.
Thus, we not only use the best solar panel cleaning product, but also comply with sustainability standards.
Find out more here our approach.
Advice for businesses: professional and sustainable cleaning
If you have a large number of solar panels (2,000+), have your installation cleaned with osmosis water by a specialist. This will prevent damage, maintain efficiency and meet insurance and inspection requirements.
Frequently asked questions about which cleaner to use for solar panels
For large-scale installations, osmosis water is the most effective cleaning agent. This water is fully purified of lime and minerals, leaving no residue or staining. Osmosis water is produced by us on site with mobile filter units and meets the requirements of insurers and independent inspectors. It is safe for the coating, prevents damage and guarantees returns to scale.
Tap water contains lime, groundwater often contains iron or other metals. On a small scale, this may seem negligible, but with hundreds or thousands of panels, it leads to staining, yield loss and potential damage claims. We therefore exclusively use rainwater (filtered), lime-free water or osmosis water - tailored to industrial applications and quality requirements.
Professionals work with quiet, mobile solar-powered systems such as robot cleaners and battery-operated high-pressure pumps. We clean outside working hours or during operation without interrupting production processes. Thanks to osmosis water and brush robots, this is done streak-free, safely and without chemicals - crucial for roofs of logistics centres, distribution halls or solar parks.