IOT-INTEGRATED AUTOMATED ROBOT FOR SOLAR PANEL CLEANING

Abstract

The growing adoption of solar energy as a major contributor to the global energy transition highlights the need to maintain maximum photovoltaic efficiency. One of the primary issues affecting solar panel performance is the buildup of dust, dirt, and environmental pollutants. This study introduces the design, fabrication, and evaluation of an IoT-enabled automated robot developed to mitigate these losses. The system uses four DC geared motors for locomotion, driven by an ESP32 microcontroller connected to the Arduino IoT Cloud for wireless monitoring and control. The robot supports three modes of operation: remote manual control via the internet, a fully autonomous cleaning mode guided by embedded algorithms, and a patrol mode equipped with a water-spray cleaning feature. Experimental evaluation confirms that the robot delivers reliable cleaning performance under diverse surface conditions without causing any physical harm to the solar modules. IoT connectivity further facilitates scheduled or on-demand cleaning, making the system especially suitable for large solar farms and hard-to-reach installations. Overall, the proposed solution reduces labor effort and operational costs while sustaining optimal panel efficiency across residential, commercial, and industrial setups.