Maintaining clean surfaces on solar panels is critical for maximizing energy efficiency, particularly in regions with high dust accumulation. Conventional cleaning methods, which often rely heavily on water, pose significant sustainability challenges, especially in water-scarce environments. This paper introduces an innovative self-cleaning solution for photovoltaic (PV) panels based on polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) piezoelectric films. The technology harnesses the inverse piezoelectric effect, whereby mechanical vibrations are generated when an alternating current (AC) voltage is applied to the PVDF film, effectively dislodging dust and particulate matter from the panel surface. Aluminum foil electrodes are affixed to the PVDF film, and vibrations are propagated across the surface to remove dust particles within a defined timeframe. Experimental results demonstrate the system's efficiency in removing particles while consuming minimal energy, making it particularly suitable for arid regions where water-based cleaning methods are impractical. Additionally, the PVDF films possess favorable mechanical and optical properties, including high transparency, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness, supporting their potential for large-scale deployment. The technology represents an environmentally friendly and water-saving alternative to traditional methods and has significant commercialization potential. This research paves the way for further development of self-cleaning PV technologies, offering a sustainable solution for maintaining solar panel performance in challenging environmental conditions.
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A novel solar panel self-cleaning method based on piezoelectric films
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January 2025
Research Article|
January 14 2025
A novel solar panel self-cleaning method based on piezoelectric films

Maurizio Manzo
;
Maurizio Manzo
a)
(Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Supervision, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing)
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of North Texas
, Denton, Texas 76207, USA
a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: [email protected]
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Maher Maymoun
;
Maher Maymoun
(Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Project administration, Resources, Supervision, Writing – original draft)
2
Research and Development Department
, Solar PiezoClean, Amman 11953, Jordan
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Ramiz Qamar
;
Ramiz Qamar
(Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing)
2
Research and Development Department
, Solar PiezoClean, Amman 11953, Jordan
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Yazan Rihani
;
Yazan Rihani
(Data curation, Formal analysis, Validation, Writing – original draft)
2
Research and Development Department
, Solar PiezoClean, Amman 11953, Jordan
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Amer Al-Jahran
Amer Al-Jahran
(Formal analysis, Validation, Writing – original draft)
2
Research and Development Department
, Solar PiezoClean, Amman 11953, Jordan
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a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: [email protected]
J. Renewable Sustainable Energy 17, 013501 (2025)
Article history
Received:
October 03 2024
Accepted:
December 11 2024
Connected Content
A companion article has been published:
Piezoelectric vibration dislodges dust for more efficient solar panels
Citation
Maurizio Manzo, Maher Maymoun, Ramiz Qamar, Yazan Rihani, Amer Al-Jahran; A novel solar panel self-cleaning method based on piezoelectric films. J. Renewable Sustainable Energy 1 January 2025; 17 (1): 013501. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0242347
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