Rancang Bangun dan Analisis Biaya Manfaat Sistem Pembersih Panel Surya dengan Robotic Solar Panel Cleaner dan Automated Water Cleaning

Abstract

The transition to renewable energy, driven by environmental concerns and rising fossil fuel prices, positions solar energy as a key solution. However, solar panel efficiency is highly susceptible to dust and debris accumulation, which can reduce output significantly—studies in Bahrain report that 5–12 g/m² of dust can decrease panel power by up to 40%. This study evaluates the effectiveness and economic feasibility of two automated cleaning systems: the Robotic Solar Panel Cleaner and Automated Water Cleaning. Three 15° tilted solar panels were tested, each covered with 10 grams of dust, clay, or sand over three days, with parameters measured before and after cleaning. Results show that the Robotic Solar Panel Cleaner increased average efficiency to 15.51%, while Automated Water Cleaning reached 15.07%, both surpassing uncleaned panels at 14.10%. The robotic system demonstrated the highest efficiency recovery across all contaminants. Financial analysis assuming hourly cleaning indicated that only the robotic system is economically feasible (positive NPV, BCR >1). Under a more realistic monthly cleaning scenario, both systems’ financial performance improved, with Automated Water Cleaning becoming more profitable (NPV Rp543,720.51; BCR 1.36; payback 9 years) than the robotic system (NPV Rp230,998.03; BCR 1.12; payback 11 years), mainly due to lower standby power consumption. Overall, the Robotic Solar Panel Cleaner is most effective in restoring panel efficiency thanks to its wiper and brush mechanism and is economically viable for high-frequency cleaning scenarios.