# Does Cleaning Solar Panels Boost Efficiency? The impact of cleaning solar panels on energy production was investigated. - **Source:** [Hacker News: Front Page](https://brifing.si/source/b07aa772-b1a0-4a76-aa18-719c6f9e2dde) - **Published:** 2026-07-27 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/5b47792f-09f9-47a9-b2a4-06b5dba4a976 ## Cleaning Solar Panels Does cleaning solar panels increase energy production? To answer this question, tests were conducted on a small solar farm. It was known that the panels had not been cleaned in the last year, and the impact of this on efficiency was investigated. ## Test Methodology A total of 16 panels were connected in two banks of 8 each. The inverter reported the power output of each bank separately. Measurements were taken before and during cleaning. The effect of cleaning on power output was examined. ## Cleaning Process During the cleaning process, an unexpected drop in power ratio was observed when the first panel was washed. However, as more panels were cleaned, the power ratio increased. When all panels were cleaned, the ratio dropped again. ## Results Cleaning increased the energy production of solar panels by 2%-5%. This increase resulted in an annual gain of approximately £60-£150. However, this gain decreased to near zero over a few years. ## Electric Leakage A small electric leakage was felt while cleaning the panels. This was due to capacitive leakage in the inverter. However, this leakage did not pose a serious danger, and the cleaning process was completed safely. ## Renewal Decision Replacing solar panels could increase energy production by 60%. However, the high tariffs benefiting the old system may make the renewal cost unfeasible. This situation highlights the contradictory outcomes of market incentives. ## Sources covering this story - https://incoherency.co.uk/blog/stories/should-you-wash-your-solar-panels.html — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._