Self-powered directional dust removal via wind-driven phase-controlled TENG for solar panel maintenance

Abstract

Efficient solar energy production is significantly hindered by dust accumulation, which severely reduces the performance of solar panels. To overcome this issue, we developed a phase-controlled, wind-driven 3-phase rotational triboelectric nanogenerator (RTENG) integrated with an electrodynamic screen (EDS) for self-powered, unidirectional dust removal. The RTENG generates high-voltage alternating current (AC) without the need for external power sources and uses a precisely phase-controlled 3-phase electrode configuration to produce a traveling electric field that drives dust particles in a single direction. This configuration enhances dust removal efficiency, particularly at low panel inclination angles. The phase-controlled 3-phase RTENG-EDS system achieved dust removal efficiencies of up to 83.48 % based on weight and 62.38 % based on surface coverage, outperforming conventional 1-phase systems by factors of 1.6 and 1.13, respectively. Furthermore, the system maintained high performance across various wind speeds and panel inclination angles. These results underscore the effectiveness of phase-controlled 3-phase RTENG technology in advancing self-powered solar panel cleaning systems and enhancing the overall efficiency of solar energy harvesting. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd