Methods and systems for schedule-based and alert-based cleaning of pv systems

A soiling monitoring computer system used to schedule cleaning of a photovoltaic (“PV”) system, the soiling monitoring computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to said processor, said processor configured to:
• determine a soiling level and a soiling rate for a photovoltaic (PV) system;
• calculate a cost associated with cleaning the PV system at each of a plurality of possible cleaning times;
• determine an expected energy output gain associated with cleaning the PV system at each of the plurality of possible times based on the soiling level and the soiling rate;
• calculate an expected benefit associated with cleaning the PV system at each of the plurality of possible cleaning times based on the expected energy output gain associated with each possible cleaning time;
• determine a first time of the plurality of possible times when the expected benefit exceeds the cost;
• and
• schedule a cleaning time based on at least the determined first time.

Computer-readable storage media for scheduling cleaning of a photovoltaic (“PV”) system, the computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein, when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

• determine a soiling level and a soiling rate for a photovoltaic (PV) system;
• calculate a cost associated with cleaning the PV system at each of a plurality of possible cleaning times;
• determine an expected energy output gain associated with cleaning the PV system at each of the plurality of possible times based on the soiling level and the soiling rate;
• calculate an expected benefit associated with cleaning the PV system at each of the plurality of possible cleaning times based on the expected energy output gain associated with each possible cleaning time;
• determine a first time of the plurality of possible times when the expected benefit exceeds the cost;
• and
• schedule a cleaning time based on at least the determined first time.

A photovoltaic (“PV”) cleaning scheduling system used to schedule cleaning of a photovoltaic (“PV”) system, the PV cleaning scheduling system comprising:

• a PV system;
• a soiling sensor associated with said PV system configured to determine a soiling level and a soiling rate of said PV system;
• and
• a soiling monitoring computer system in networked communication with said soiling sensor, said soiling monitoring computer system including a processor and a memory coupled to said processor, said processor configured to:
• receive the soiling level and the soiling rate for said photovoltaic (PV) system from said soiling sensor;
• calculate a cost associated with cleaning the PV system at each of a plurality of possible cleaning times;
• determine an expected energy output gain associated with cleaning the PV system at each of the plurality of possible times based on the soiling level and the soiling rate;
• calculate an expected benefit associated with cleaning the PV system at each of the plurality of possible cleaning times based on the expected energy output gain associated with each possible cleaning time;
• determine a first time of the plurality of possible times when the expected benefit exceeds the cost;
• and
• schedule a cleaning time based on at least the determined first time.

A soiling sensor comprising:

• a first reference cell;
• a second reference cell;
• a processor in communication with said first reference cell and said second reference cell;
• a memory device in communication with said processor, said processor is configured to:
• receive a first measured energy production level from said first reference cell;
• receive a second measured energy production level from said second reference cell;
• determine a differential energy production between the first measured energy production level and the second measured energy production level;
• and
• determine a soiling level and the soiling rate based on the differential energy production.