SandShield's Robots Keep Desert Solar Panels Clean — Cutting Dust Losses From 25% to 3%
DesertTech deploys its SandShield self-cleaning system at a Saudi Arabian solar farm. Combining electrostatic dust repulsion with autonomous robots, it reduces sand-related power generation losses from 25% down to 3%.
Solar operations company DesertTech announced on April 8 the deployment of its SandShield self-cleaning system at the NEOM solar farm in Saudi Arabia.
Deserts offer the world's richest solar resources, but frequent sandstorms coat panels in thick layers of dust, slashing power output by 25% or more. Traditional manual water-washing is expensive in desert environments and wastes scarce water.
SandShield uses a two-stage cleaning approach. First, electrostatic dust removal — a transparent conductive layer on the panel surface generates an electric field that repels most adhered dust particles without any water. Second, robotic precision sweeping — autonomous cleaning robots operate nightly, using micro-brush heads to clear stubborn residual dust.
After SandShield deployment, dust-related generation losses dropped from 25% to 3%. DesertTech reports that the system has already won orders for solar projects in the UAE and Morocco.
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