Solar Panel Reboot

Solar panels gradually lose efficiency as particulates accumulate on their surface, reducing energy output by as much as 50% in certain climates. The Solar Panel Reboot team researches practical ways to extend panel performance and expand solar accessibility through applied materials research and hands-on engineering. This semester, the team conducted controlled experiments comparing surface coatings that resist buildup, refined an indoor solar simulator for more reliable testing conditions, and constructed a solar-powered outdoor restroom designed to demonstrate solar technology in a community-facing setting.

Project Overview

Stakeholders Professor Nelson (solar outreach and solar potty collaboration); Professor Tobias Hanrath and Corning Inc. (coating analysis); Cogen (solar oven patent); Energy and the Environment Research Lab (EERL) under Professor K. Max Zhang

Disciplines / Majors Mechanical, chemical, electrical, and environmental engineering

Team Overview Solar Panel Reboot (SPR) is a CUSD team founded in 2018 that originally focused on refurbishing solar panels with protective coatings for off-grid use. The team has since expanded into three simultaneous active projects, each addressing a different dimension of solar energy research and outreach. SPR is led by Supriya Anand and Garrett Smith and includes members from Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical, and Environmental Engineering.

Problem Statement Soiling from dust and particulates can reduce solar panel output by up to 50% in dry regions, and there is limited understanding of which coatings best mitigate this effect. Additionally, there is a need for reliable indoor testing infrastructure and opportunities to expand public awareness of solar energy in community settings.

Approach Three concurrent projects address these challenges. First, the team is building a solar-powered outdoor portable toilet (solar potty) in collaboration with Professor Nelson, designed to serve as a urine collection system for fertilizer research while raising public sustainability awareness. Second, in partnership with Corning Inc., the team is analyzing hydrophobic vs. hydrophilic coatings on glass slides, measuring sliding angles and contact angles to simulate soiling conditions from the Snyder Road Solar Farms. Third, the team designed and improved an indoor solar simulator using LED rods, halogen lamps, and reflective Mylar, achieving approximately uniform 360 W/m² irradiance after moving to a greenhouse lab.

Key Accomplishments This Semester Solar potty design developed with a nature/rustic aesthetic, gravity-fed sink, urine/solid waste separation, and rainwater collection. Coating study shifted from Snee Hall solar modules to controlled glass slide experiments after finding low natural soiling levels in Ithaca. Solar simulator improved with ABS halogen brackets and achieved roughly uniform irradiance for reliable indoor panel testing.

Next Steps Continue refinement of the solar potty for placement in public spaces such as gardens, parks, and educational centers. Continue coating analysis on glass slides to produce publishable comparisons of hydrophobic vs. hydrophilic performance. Continue improving the simulator for use by SPR and external stakeholders, including Cogen and EERL.

Risks & How They Were Addressed Natural soiling levels in Ithaca are too low for direct real-world panel testing, requiring the team to pivot to controlled glass slide experiments: a design decision that allowed more precise variable control. The solar simulator required structural improvements after relocating to the greenhouse lab, which the team addressed with bracket upgrades.