Solar Panel Cleaning Halesworth – Lichen Removal On A Farm

by | Aug 16, 2019 | Agricultural

We provide award winning solar maintenance and solar panel cleaning in Halesworth, East Anglia. Clean Solar Solutions have successfully removed lichen from solar panels on a Halesworth farm. Brights Farm have a 56KW solar array mounted on one of their dairy buildings.  They had a big problem with lichen growth on their solar panels.

Why Did The Solar Panels Need Cleaning?

Since the solar panels were installed, they had never been cleaned. Solar panels mounted on dairy buildings are very prone to dust build-up and lichen growth. The lack of cleaning resulted in lichen blooms across the whole array, some areas were worse than others.

Lichen on solar panels Halesworth
Lichen blooms across the whole array

The company that installed the solar panels had since folded, so the farm owners were left with no after-sales or maintenance support. Therefore, Clean Solar Solutions were contacted by the farm owners to see what could be done. Clean Solar Solutions arranged for a full electrical service to be completed on the solar array. This complete system health check ensured that faulty components were replaced and the system was fully functional.

As a result, we were able to arrange the solar panel cleaning and for the lichen removal process to be completed. A lorry mounted cherry picker was brought to site and the extent of the lichen was fully assessed.

Dirty solar panels Halesworth
A chemical pre-treatment was applied to the solar panels which aids the removal of the lichen and the lichen removal process begins.
Lichen removal in progress Halesworth
Here we can see a close-up with the difference between the cleaned part and uncleaned part of the solar panel.  

VIDEO: Removing Lichen & Bird Droppings From Solar Panels

Solar panel cleaning Halesworth
From a distance, we can see the lichen has been removed on the left three rows of solar panels.
Clean solar panels Halesworth
Here we can see the result after the solar panels were completely cleaned and the lichen removed. the whole solar array thoroughly cleaned.
Finished solar panel cleaning Halesworth
The results were very impressive, with the solar panels coming back to an as-new condition. 

What Was The End Result From The Solar Panel Cleaning?

As a result of our cleaning, the client was very impressed and now realise the importance of regular solar panel cleaning. Subsequently, they have signed into a 5-year solar maintenance contract with Clean Solar Solutions. The contract is made up of an annual electrical service of the solar panels and three cleans per year. This will ensure that the system is kept clean. Above all, the lichen will not return and the system will continue to have a high-level of electricity generation.

Therefore, if you are located in the Halesworth area and require a quote for solar panel cleaning or solar panel maintenance, please feel free to contact us.

Chemically cleaning solar panels

Then the panels are scrubbed, removing the lichen and then finally, washed down and rinsed.  All work carried out by Clean Solar Solutions is in conjunction with the SEUK Best Practice Guidelines 2021.

Solar panel cleaning

Solar Panel Cleaning Fordingbridge

If you are a solar array owner in Fordingbridge or the surrounding area, please contact us.  We carry out agricultural, commercial and residential solar panel cleaning and maintenance in the Fordingbridge areas and will be pleased to assist you.