Solar panels are a great way to reduce your electricity bills. There is also peace of mind when you install these panels; you will not be constantly thinking of saving energy or using less impacting your comfort. However, there are certain considerations to installing solar panels and maintaining them. One issue you may face is birds being attracted to the installation which can lead to damage. We will explain more about this in the article below.
One of the main reasons
That birds are attracted to solar panel installations is that these provide shelter to them. Because of this, they will attempt to nest under or on top of the panels. You may not consider this to be harmless but there are some considerations in this regard. There will be a lot of nesting materials accumulating under the solar panels or on it which can cause damage to the support structure or the surface of the panels. This can bring down the integrity of the panels and you may be looking at a potentially reduced lifespan for the panels.
There will be reduced efficiency of the panels because nests on top or under it will obstruct the flow of air around the panels. You need to have proper ventilation to ensure optimal efficiency of the panels and performance. But with these obstructions, efficient cooling of the panels cannot take place and it will lead to overheating which can cause a drop in efficiency in the panels. This can also damage the panels. You can contact a bird control officer to learn how to deter birds to ensure optimal performance of the panels.
Can also create a safety hazard if they are to come into contact with the various electrical components of the panels. In serious situations, it can even lead to a fire. When birds are attracted to the solar panels, it is natural to have a lot of droppings. The bird droppings will then accumulate on the surface of the panels and this can actually block sunlight from reaching the PV cells.
The nesting materials of the birds
This cuts down the exposure of the panels to sunlight which will have a big impact on the efficiency of your solar panel system. The panels will be producing less energy compared to the ideal. And with time, the accumulated bird droppings can corrode the protective coatings placed on the solar panels because of their acidic nature. This will damage the panels permanently and affect the lifespan of the panels negatively.
To prevent the above from happening
You will need to clean the panels of bird droppings regularly. This can take a lot of time and you will accumulate costs for special cleaning equipment, cleaning detergents and manpower. Some birds are known to scratch or peck at the surface of the solar panels. This is more likely if you have pigeons or crows landing on the panels or nesting on them.
This can cause a lot of damage to the panels. There will be surface scratches and this will disrupt the ideal flow of light across the panel. This will lead to a drop in energy production. When pecking or scratching is repeated, it can cause micro-cracks on the surface of the panels which can affect their structural integrity.