• Technology used to keep Mars Rovers clean could help increase solar panel efficiency

  • Mars-rover-technology-1.jpg
    Ever wondered who cleans all those parts of a Mars Rover and keeps it shiny, sparkly, clean and dust-free? There certainly aren’t any car-washes on Mars. The Rovers just clean themselves up. Using sensors and systems that detect dust buildups and get rid of them, a Mars Rover makes sure it keeps itself dust-free. Scientists now think a similar technology can be used to keep our solar panels back here on earth clean and maintenance free. This of course will also help increase their efficiency. The system uses an electric charge that keeps away dusts from solar panels. Developed by Dr. Malay Mazumder for NASA, these will help keep clean solar panels, most of which are located in dusty deserts.


    Dust layers of 4g per square meter decrease efficiency by up to 40%. The system has solar panels coated with electrodes of Indium tin oxide, a transparent, electrically-sensitive material that helps them stay clean and work for a greener good.
    [Telegraph]

    Posted in Topics:Other Stuff, Tags: , on August 24, 2010