Solar energy is advancing by leaps and bounds. Installed solar photovoltaic capacity in 2021 was 22% higher than in 2020. And it is one of the most cost-effective ways to generate electricity in many parts of the world, according to the International Energy Agency. However, it has a major problem: dirt. The buildup of dust or sand on the panels significantly reduces their performance. Furthermore, with nighttime humidity, the dust can form crusts that are difficult to remove.

Much of this cleaning work is done by hand using water, a scarce resource in some of the areas with the greatest solar potential, such as northern Chile. With that in mind, the company Eccopia has developed autonomous cleaning robots that tackle the problem from several angles. For one thing, they operate at night—without interfering with the panels’ power generation—using solar energy stored during the day. The robots also operate without water, relying instead on microfiber and controlled airflow.

The robots also collect and transmit data on the panels, which—when analyzed using cloud-based artificial intelligence systems—enable plant operators to monitor the facilities’ performance and improve their predictive maintenance strategies.

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