Factory Solar Clean of 500 Panels - Prestons

Sections

1. 1. Our Customers Journey
   2. Why Our Customer Decided to Outsource Cleaning
   3. What Type of Water Should be Used
   4. Benefits of Professional Cleaning
   5. When to Clean Your Solar Panels
   6. Cost Benefit Analysis

1. Our Customers Solar Journey

Our client at Prestons, near to Liverpool in New South Wales, manufactures custom kitchens and laminates from a state-of-the-art facility. This requires heat, which is costly, and many machines drawing additional power to run the cutting and profiling equipment.

Electricity costs were quoted at $16,000 per billing period in 2017 dollars, prior to installing any solar panels on the roof. This is equivalent to $19600 in 2024 dollars according to The Reserve Bank online calculator.

In 2018, with approximately 1800 sq metres of roof space available, the step was taken to install solar. The initial idea was to power the factory machinery using approximately 1050 sq metres of this vacant roof area, not sending power back to the grid, to maximise the financial benefit. This factory does not have batteries as during the day is when the power is consumed readily.

The initial idea proved to be a successful strategy, with power bills dropping by an impressive 50%, a saving of $8,000 per bill in 2018. This justified funds to fill the balance of the roof area, another 750 sq metres, with solar, using the latest and a more efficient solar panel, in 2020.

In 2025 dollars, with these new panels added, current electricity costs are reported at $5000 per month, a reduction of approximatley $15000, should this factory not have had solar.

2. Why Our Customer Decided to Outsource Cleaning

The business owner, until recently, trialled cleaning the 500 solar panels inhouse, using his own staff and some basic tools. This took 3 people two to three days at each clean. That’s a significant amount of chargeable man hours which could have been used elsewhere within his business.

Using regular tap water, which in this suburban location commonly contains dissolved solids of 70 to 80 parts per million, not to mention other contaminants, the finish would have been satisfactory, but not solar optimal.

He recognised this was no longer viable and subsequently engaged Extra Hand Solar Clean.

3. What Type of Water Should be Used

Ideally, a filtered water system, as employed by Extra Hand Solar Clean, and extensively used in the window and glass cleaning industry; results in water containing less than 1part per million of dissolved solids, is needed. This gives the optimal finish for a solar panel, without the added labour to squeegee the panel, since there are no contaminants in the cleaning water to stain the surface. This water is so clean, it’s equivalent to rainwater.

Solar panel manufacturers, in their maintenance procedures, specify a finely filtered water to be used for cleaning only, discouraging the use of water from your local drinking water supply. Hard water, which can be found in the regions, can be heavily contaminated also, and should never be used unfiltered.

4. Benefits of Professional Cleaning

The savings of a professional clean will start immediatley. Cleaning costs can be recouped by reduced power bills in the subsequent 4-6 weeks power savings, assuming your factory or warehouse is similar to this example.

Our on-board filtering system, utilising Reverse Osmosis in one of the four stages, provides a high-quality, mirror type finish, on glass type surfaces every time. Reverse Osmosis is a process often used to turn sea water into drinking water (potable water). We have additional filtering for “water polishing”, which filters the water to a much higher standard and quality beyond what is necessary for drinking water.

Filtered water also provides a superior cleaning result compared to regular tap water as previously outlined.

Regular tap water has dissolved solids and other contaminants absorbed from the environment, this causes stains and blemishes on the solar panels, which compromise sun absorption and power generation.

It also takes Extra Hand Solar Clean, less overall man hours to complete solar panel cleaning of large installations such as this, than it may take our customers, since we have the specialist tools, devices and equipment onboard to complete. We are also unlikely to miss random areas of individual panels, which is more likely if done inhouse.

5. When to Clean Your Solar Panels

It is important to note that power generation can be reduced 20 to 30 percent if panels are not kept clean with an annual or bi-annual clean, especially in industrial areas where other local factories or processing facilities, are emitting a range of unknown particles. These numbers having been reported to us by current and previous customers.

If you are not sure how often to clean, we would suggest the first clean of the new panels on your factory or warehouse be done after one year. The cleaning frequency can then be adjusted in subsequent cleaning based on results of the first clean, and subsequent analysis of any billing post clean. Otherwise, if they look dirty, you can be sure they are costing you money, and need to be cleaned now.

6. Cost Benefit Analysis

A Cost Benefit Analysis of Solar Panel Cleaning, as described in the video here, provides valid evidence of the benefits of solar panel cleaning, and shows, in this instance, savings on the clean could be recouped in the first power billing period, with further savings in subsequent bills.

We estimate that when fully operational, complimented by clean solar cells, power generation at this factory is equivalent to approximately a $15,000 saving per bill, if not more. A loss of 25% power generation, will be greatly restored after a full and proper clean, recouping not only all costs associated with the clean we perform, but not diverting and being a drag on inhouse labor, whose primary role is to generate revenue from your customers.

Below we have created a video to discuss further, we suggest you watch it and see for yourself what we see often.

Learn more about our solar cleaning and contact us today.