Self-Cleaning Solar Panels Could Boost Efficiency
August 23, 2010 at 18:12 PM EDT
The $24 billion solar panel market could use a good dusting. The benefits of solar energy are well-known, but what's rarely mentioned is its nemesis: dust. Even a little bit—one-seventh of an ounce per square yard—can weaken a panel's power conversion by 40%. To tackle the problem, scientists looked to Mars, where similar technology was developed for space missions to the planet. NASA , along with Boston University , originally developed the self-cleaning technology for its Mars missions, to battle the planet's red dust. Some of the rovers and other vehicles are solar-powered, and the self-cleaning coating on their solar panels helps them explore more effectively.