Georg Eitelhuber, a physics teacher at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Kaust) in Saudi Arabia, has created a waterless solar panel cleaning device for use in harsh desert environments like that of Saudi Arabia. Called Nomadd, the device makes use of an automated “dry sweep” to push dust and dirt away from surfaces of the solar panel. It can even clean the thick dust that sticks after a rain shower or sand storm in humid conditions, according to a report by BBC.
“Basically it can clean solar panels without water. It’s a brand new solution to a brand new problem,” BBC quoted German-Australian engineer Eitelhuber as saying. “This whole project started with Lego and toilet rolls,” Eitelhuber says of his early days prototyping the Nomadd in after-school experiments. “And now the idea’s gone up to some pretty high levels in the Saudi government. It’s kind of crazy.”
Nomadd is claimed to be rugged and low-maintenance with just four major moving parts. The device can run along a bank of solar panels, sweeping away the dust.
Powered by lithium-ion batteries, the device is charged by the array and can manoeuver over gaps and obstacles between the panels. It can be used automatically on a schedule. The device can also be used with the touch of a button in a remote control station.
“This allows the entire array of banks to be cleaned in a short time, which is essential after a sandstorm,” explains Eitelhuber.
