It’s just an “if”, but it’s a very big one. If our World keeps pumping out emissions that cause climate change, many countries will not be able to maintain the global temperature to 1.5ºC, as the Paris Agreement states. That’s why a rising number of nations are committing to another huge task: “net-zero” emissions.

In other words, achieve carbon neutrality. Most countries, especially in the European Union, pledge this goal by 2050; China, on the other hand, seeks to reach the target by 2060.

To put the world on track for net-zero, Governments would have to take decisive action and accelerate a clean energy transition. In fact, according to the World Energy Outlook 2020, from the International Energy Agency (IEA), to reach the target, CO2 emissions would need to drop around 45% until 2030. More than that, low-emission sources would have to be providing about 75% of global electricity generation just by the exact same year. Moreover, little to almost none coal plants, for example, could be operating.

We can understand, therefore, that replacing coal, gas and oil-fired power plants, as well as cement factories, with renewable energy sources would be a key change to dip carbon emissions. And, on this note, Solar is central. Why? It’s simple, cost-efficiency. In most countries, solar projects keep offering some of the lowest electricity generation costs, with photovoltaics being cheaper than coal or gas power plants, precisely. That being said, solar growth is, in fact, a key step to take.

Thus, the government’s roles around the world could also be impactful with measures such as the facilitation of solar PV technologies scaling and the development of adequate regulations regarding low-emissions products and projects.

More importantly, this bet on solar energy can start right from our houses. You should ask yourself: ‘how do I heat up my home?’. If you think about it, there is a green way to do it and, again, solar comes into play. With a residential solar system, your carbon footprint would surely be lower. Indeed, when converted into electricity, solar energy gives off almost zero emissions. And, as stated by the Energy Saving Trust, an average home in the UK could reduce carbon emissions up to 1.6 tonnes per year with a solar PV system. We’re talking about more than 500 gallons of petrol or more than 600,000 smartphones charging.

You might be wondering why we mentioned the UK as an example. The answer is: the sun doesn’t always shine there. And, if even so, the country has that potential in terms of energy saving, you can guess about the efficiency of solar PV in other parts of the world, where the sun keeps showing up.

In any case, the fact is that there will always be sunlight, which means generating clean electricity will always be possible as well. With citizens and governments on board, the path to net-zero can - slowly but surely - be a reality come true on time.

Do you have any suggestions or topics about the solar universe you would like to read here? Reach us by email (and go solar)!

If our World keeps pumping out emissions that cause climate change, many countries will not be able to maintain the global temperature to 1.5ºC, as the Paris Agreement states.

For a carbon-neutral world, Solar is king

If we look Portugal down on the map, one certainty comes to mind: in terms of solar radiation, the country is privileged for its location. Look at Alentejo region, for instance, people don't lack a sunny day! But there are key factors making Portugal one growing leader in the solar energy market.

First, the numbers - they tell it all. Currently, Portugal has an installed solar photovoltaic capacity of 1030 megawatts (MW). In 2011, for example, the number was 174 MW. And the production of solar energy keeps growing each year, as more solar plants are uprising from north to south. One big reason for this concerns technological advances - production costs are lower, and so are the costs of photovoltaic modules. And, once again, Alentejo deserves the highlight. The extremely high sun exposure in the region keeps attracting diverse new investments in photovoltaic plants. In fact, Mértola is now preparing to receive the largest photovoltaic solar project in the country. We're talking about a 480 megawatt (MW) power plant that Fermesolar wants to install, in an investment of nearly 400 million euros.

Another reason for the growth of this renewable energy use isin the law. Just last year, Portugal created a legal framework to conduct competitive auctions for the allocation of photovoltaic solar power in the country. This opens the possibility of submitting solar projects via the market. Put simply, these auctions allow the government to attract investments to develop large-scale and productive solar infrastructures in exchange for a 15 year contract. And be sure: the results are surprising. Portugal has already licensed 2 GW of solar power plants via auctions, a capacity that will reinforce the weight of the current 1 GW installed.

Not less important is the country's strategic vision of the solar sector. Also in 2019, Portugal launched a draft of the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) and presented a Carbon Neutrality Roadmap. The goals were set clear: by 2030, meet 80% of total energy needs from clean energy, like solar, and achieve carbon neutrality until 2050.

Should the investment in the solar sector keep growing, Portugal is bound to become an even more desirable destination for the creation of larger solar projects. After all, the country is naturally gifted to be a great shot for investors.

Do you have any suggestions or topics about the solar universe you would like to read here? Reach us by email (and go solar)!

If we look Portugal down on the map, one certainty comes to mind: in terms of solar radiation, the country is privileged for its location!

Why is Portugal a Growing Market in the Solar Area?

The topic about cleaning solar panels is a sensitive one among solar panel owners.  Some say it is absolutely necessary, while others claim that rainwater is enough to wash away any dirt the panels may have. The most correct answer lies somewhere in the middle. 

Rainwater will wash away some contamination that builds up on the panels, but it is not as effective as manual cleaning. A case study was carried out in Spain, where the performance of solar panels was measured after 1 year of dust accumulation, and the average performance reduction was 4.4%. Many solar panel owners could live with this reduction, however this study also concluded that with excessive dirt accumulation, or long periods of dry weather, daily energy losses can be over 20%.

The most common problems - dirt, leaves and water

The accumulation of dirt on the panel over the years as well as its location affects the performance of the system.

A small layer of dust may not affect solar transmission, however, one should be aware of dirty rainwater that can accumulate on the underside of the panel, which can lead to serious problems and system failure.

More concerning than the dust that can accumulate on the solar panel are heavier dirt such as leaves or bird droppings. In panels with micro-inverters it can even stop the current flow due to the stain present on the solar panel.

Dust, dirt, pollen and bird droppings that accumulate on solar panels have the ability to decrease the efficiency of a solar panel. And if the solar power system is located in an area where it rarely rains, or which is particularly dusty and dirty, this decrease will be greatly extended. 

Specialist solar maintenance companies recommend cleaning the system at least twice a year. This keeps the investment in excellent shape to ensure better efficiency and cost savings for the future.

How do you determine whether or not cleaning is worth it?

Rainwater is not enough to keep the panel completely clean and operating at full energy efficiency.  In many cases it can even promote the accumulation of dirt at the bottom of the panel leading to the creation of serious problems like hot spots.

The presence of concentrated dirt on the module influences the production of the entire photovoltaic system and can lead to its self-destruction.

If you've had solar panels for a while you've probably noticed that energy production changes from month to month due to climate change and the changing position of the sun overhead as the seasons progress. With a little experience monitoring your solar array, you will learn how much fluctuation to expect over the course of a year. If you start to notice reduced output at a time when weather patterns seem to be on par with what you expected, dirty panels may be the main factor.

It was therefore concluded that the efficiency of solar panels will be sacrificed if they are not cleaned properly. Ideally, panels should be cleaned in a way that strikes a balance between cost, effort and potential efficiency improvements. The cost of cleaning solar panels should not be too high, and the cleaning process should not be overly complicated. The stickier the build-up, the more likely it is that suitable cleaning materials, such as a cleaning solution suitable for solar panels, will be required.

Cleaning solar panels, for the most part, is not that difficult, depending on how dirty your panels are. The hardest part may be not having the necessary tools to reach the entire surface area of the panel, this will depend on the dize of your system and location. This is why we recommend that firstly you assess the panels. Check them, see how much debris, dirt and substance build-up is on the panels, and what material are needed for cleaning.

If the dirt on your panels ir more than dust and includes sticky substances such as bird droppings, or sticky plant materials, then you may need to give the panels a good scrubbing. Choose a soft brush that will not scratch or damage the panels. Also, choose a cleaning solution suitable for solar panels, which does not contain any chemicals that could damage or degrade the panels.

Cleaning solutions have the ability to reduce the amount of water used and the time spent cleaning, increasing cleaning efficiency.

You can use the SWP cleaning solution, this product has been developed and certified specifically for solar modules. It is a product that will increase the efficiency of cleaning, protect the module(s) by giving it antiadherent and antistatic properties.

Be careful when cleaning not to hit the dirty surface of the panels with high pressure, it can scratch the surface of the panel which subsequently creates small shadows on the photovoltaic cells below the tempered glass, decreasing the energy production of the solar panels.

Another tip we can give you is not to use common soap for cleaning the panels. This can have leave a film or residue, which is more likely to cause dirt to stick to the panel and the chemicals in these products will attack the silicone seal and the panel structure.

Would you like to see more tips on how to clean your solar panels or other issues Do you have any suggestions or topics about the solar universe you would like to read here? Reach us by email!

The topic about cleaning solar panels is a sensitive one among solar panel owners.

How and why clean solar panels?

Our lifestyle, and its demand for increasing energy consumption, is threatening our natural resources to unseen levels. Thankfully, with growing levels of consciousness, sustainability is one of the most important words in today’s World, and the key factor pointing us to the change.

Thus, renewable energies are gaining more and more relevance and becoming a trend in the most diverse business areas, as a way to help save the Environment.

In order to understand the importance of these types of energy, it is necessary to explain that renewable energy is obtained from natural sources with the capacity to regenerate (wind, solar, waves, geothermal, etc.) and are therefore, inexhaustible.

Obtained through the sun, and one of the most important natural renewable energy sources, solar energy, is the one that has grown the most in recent years. The potential of solar energy is exceptional when compared to all other energy sources. It is predicted that it will be the second largest source of energy generation in the world by 2050, accounting for 25% of the energy generated worldwide.

One of the main advantages of photovoltaic and solar thermal technology is that it has a lifetime of over 20 years, making it one of the most usable and promising sources in the World.

Solar panels can lose efficiency due to several factors, the main one being the reduction of the ability to absorb sunlight due to soiling.

Realizing the technology’s potential and the importance of panel cleaning and maintenance to maximize their production of energy, ChemiTek founds a clear gap in the solar industry.

Our product, Solar Wash Protect, has several features. One of them being the effective removal of organic soiling: bird droppings, pollen, dust, coal, etc. The product formula also provides additional protection to the panel at the end of the wash, giving anti-adherent properties to the solar glass thus reducing the accumulation of soiling, producing more energy in the following months.

So, it is easily understandable that chemistry has an irreplaceable role in solar technology maturation. To improve the efficiency and lifetime of photovoltaic cells, it is, undoubtedly, one path to take. Generally speaking, it is much more than that: it’s the answer to a low carbon and green World.

Energy consumption worldwide is increasing significantly, and there is still a large part of it that is produced using resources that are finite and extremely harmful to the environment, the so-called fossil fuels.

Solar Energy: The Source of the Future

Our lifestyle, and its demand for increasing energy consumption, is threatening our natural resources to unseen levels. Thankfully, with growing levels of consciousness, sustainability is one of the most important words in today’s World, and the key factor pointing us to the change.

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