Solar · Maintenance
Are 'self-cleaning' or anti-soiling solar panels really self-cleaning?
Short answer
No panel is fully self-cleaning. Rain on tilted glass removes most dust, and some modules have anti-reflective or hydrophobic coatings that help water run off, but bird droppings, moss and lichen still stick. Treat 'self-cleaning' as 'cleans more easily in rain' and still check the array once or twice a year.
Last checked 24 September 2026 · 1 source
In more detail
- Rain effectiveness depends on tilt and rainfall; the European soiling study shows losses rise sharply if rain cleans poorly.
- Anti-soiling coatings were still a research topic in the UK in 2021 (Loughborough project), so claims of maintenance-free glass should be treated with caution.
- Frameless (dual-glass) modules shed dirt at the lower edge better than framed modules at low tilt.
- Ask the seller which coating, what test, and whether cleaning agents could void the coating warranty.
The facts, dated
- 01Loughborough University began a project to develop anti-soiling coatings for PV modules (Nov 2021) — 2021
market_data · UK · checked 24 September 2026 · lboro.ac.uk
Sources
Last checked: 24 September 2026