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Autonomous cleaning robot for large scale photovoltaic power plants in Europe resulting in 5% cost reduction of electricity (PV-Servitor)
Start date: Sep 1, 2009, End date: Aug 31, 2011 PROJECT  FINISHED 

The PV-Servitor project focuses on concepts for a fully autonomous cleaning robot for ground mounted large scale photovoltaic power plants consisting of several 100 kW units. The PV-Servitor shall be able to automatically clean glass surfaces of solar modules in several areas of up to 2,500 square meters in an unrestricted way. Its application will increase the electricity output of the PV plant by 8% at a service cost of only 3%, thus resulting in a 5% user-benefit by cost reduction of the electricity yield. Europe's largest PV distributor and Europe's largest PV module manufacturer, as well as other important players active in the main European PV markets such as Germany and Spain, strongly support this SME project as potential end-users and grant access to their large scale PV power plants. This end-user involvement will also guarantee the SME's a rapid market success after the completion of the PV-servitor project. Tasks for research are lightweight construction, automated cleaning of glass surfaces, the synchronisation of technical and economical lifecycles, sustainable outdoor mobility including the challenge to replace rechargeable batteries with a long life energy supply system, unrestricted navigation and cognitive vision systems for pollution detection and cell inspection.
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