Evaluating the Cleanliness of Solar Photovoltaics Can Be Complicated : CleanTechnica - 0 views
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Take a good look at panels that have been installed for several years and you will notice discontinuities and shiny areas where the components have been damaged and where the power production is reduced.
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Hans De Keulenaer on 20 Jun 08There's an idea. Only once I've seen a paper on long-term performance of panels.
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Though there are no visibly moving parts in a solar PV panel, there are many parts of the system where continuous chemical and physical reactions take place that can eventually lead to system degradation and failure.
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Leaves and snow are particular nuisances for rooftop solar panels, but sand and bird droppings can be important in some areas as well.
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Solar photovoltaic (PV) cells are a popular and often discussed (see, for example Atlantic City Convention Center Plans Largest Solar Roof in U.S., 10% of U.S. Electricity From Solar by 2025, SF Passes Largest City Solar Program in U.S. (Finally), all of which were published within the past week) form of "renewable" or "green" energy, but a casual scratching of the surface knowledge that many people have about the technology reveals some troubling details.