We often hear about new installations of solar panels that make renewable energy transition real. But how often do we hear about the importance of keeping solar modules clean? Way too seldom, keeping in mind that dirt and soiling can lower the performance of solar panels by as much as 50%!
Inti-tech is a startup that was created to address exactly this issue in the country with one of the favorable locations for solar energy, Chile. With help of autonomous and semi-autonomous robots, they offer on-demand cleaning services for both residential and industrial solar installations. And they clean them with no water consumption!
As of 2020, 3.4% of total primary energy came from solar energy. It might not seem like a lot but Chile is one of the top countries with solar penetration. To compare, in sunny Spain this number was only 2.34%.
This is partially thanks to the Chilean Atacama Desert. Because of its flat ground and abundant solar radiation, the desert possesses some of the largest solar power potentials on Earth, at times reaching a yearly total of 2.5 kWh per m2. That’s why cleaning solar panels with high water efficiency is such an important feature for Inti-tech: To offer their solutions amid the dry dusty desert.
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Felipe Urrutia, Inti-Tech’s CCO, has the mission to spread the word about all the advantages of robotic cleaning service for solar plants without the use of water, and find new clients for the company’s technology.
Thanks to his experience in Sales and Supply Chain in important multinational companies, including a venture in Dubai, he is prepared for the challenge of making Inti-Tech grow fast and stable. As an Industrial Engineer with a diploma in Environmental Engineering and postgraduate studies in electric market regulation, he is focused on increasing the profitability of solar photovoltaic plants by implementing innovative solutions.
