Cleaning solutions company Chemitek Solar has revealed the results of an ecotoxicity study on its Solar Wash Protect (SWP) and Water Softening Agent (WSA) products for use in the cleaning of floating PV (FPV). This new report, conducted by the Portuguese laboratory Centre for Waste Valorization (CVR), assessed and confirmed the safety of the products for the aquatic fauna and flora commonly found in the bodies of water where FPV is installed.

The study reveals that the SWP only needs a column of water under the modules, with a depth of 6 cm (2.36 in.) to be under the safety threshold. The WSA results indicate the need of an even lower column of water of only 1 mm (0.04 in). FPV plants have, on average, a column of water under the modules of over 1 m (3.28 ft) which is well over the requirements found by the study.

The maintenance of FPV plants is often quite challenging due to the presence of birds. They use the modules as safe haven from most predators and also as a heat source. Their presence leads to continuous soiling with bird droppings that are challenging to clean with just water. The use of Chemitek Solar’s solutions will make the cleaning easier and faster, thus reducing the O&M costs of the plant and increasing its performance.

The Water Softening Agent is designed to capture the mineral ions present in hard water to avoid the appearance of hard water spots and stains after the cleaning. The Solar Wash Protect is a cleaning and protection product designed for cleaning organic soiling, and it applies an antistatic antisoiling coating on the modules. The cleaning agent, present in the formula, makes removing the droppings simpler and faster. The presence of the coating reduces the adhesion of the droppings to the modules, making them easier to be cleaned in the next cleaning.

News item from Chemitek Solar