2024 Tainan International Green Industry Expo
Kiwa ExTEL Showcases Innovative Soiling Monitoring System to Optimize PV Plant Cleaning Management at 2024 Tainan Green Energy Forum
May 30, 2024
At the 2024 Tainan International Green Industry Exhibition Forum, Kiwa ExTEL will present its latest innovation—a next-generation soiling monitoring system (DAS 2.0)—on May 31, highlighting how it helps PV plant owners optimize module cleaning strategies and improve energy yields, especially under Taiwan’s increasingly strained water resources.
According to the Bureau of Energy’s 2023 report, Taiwan added 2.5 GW of solar photovoltaic capacity last year, bringing the cumulative total to 12.22 GW. In line with the Ministry of Economic Affairs' 2025 target of achieving 20% of total electricity generation from renewable sources, solar energy capacity is expected to reach 20 GW by then, creating significant opportunities for PV developers and investors.
Reducing O&M Costs Through Precision Cleaning
Kiwa ExTEL’s Director of Inspection Service, Lyndon Lin, explained that large-scale and distributed PV plants across Taiwan spend millions of NTD per cleaning cycle, accounting for 30–60% of O&M costs. Traditional cleaning schedules—such as fixed-interval cleaning or cleaning based on Performance Ratio (PR)—often lack efficiency due to differing site conditions, such as regional weather, pollution levels, and wind direction. These limitations lead to misjudged cleaning intervals, resulting in wasted water and inflated operational expenses.
To address these issues, Kiwa ExTEL developed the DAS 2.0 soiling monitoring system, which provides real-time daily soiling data for each site. Using 4G connectivity, it transmits the information to a cloud-based monitoring platform. The dashboard displays location-specific data including soiling-related power loss, system capacity, last cleaning date, and accumulated energy loss. When losses surpass the estimated cleaning cost, the system alerts operators to initiate cleaning. This tool is compatible with various site types such as industrial rooftops, livestock farms, and agrivoltaic (fishery-PV) systems.
Backed by 2 GW of Field Experience
With a testing record exceeding 2 GW of installed capacity, Kiwa ExTEL has identified soiling as a critical O&M factor. The company recommends installing one DAS 2.0 unit for every 300 Kw at a single site to enable data-driven cleaning schedules and cost optimization.
Comprehensive Third-Party Technical Support
Beyond soiling monitoring, Kiwa ExTEL provides a full suite of third-party technical services including post-construction commissioning, diagnostic assessments of aging plants, transaction-based technical due diligence, module factory audits, production supervision, and post-disaster damage evaluations for insurers—making it a trusted technical partner across the solar value chain.
At the forum, Lyndon Lin will deliver a comprehensive presentation covering:
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The importance of PV module cleaning strategies and soiling monitoring.
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Quality control and inspection insights from solar plant project execution.
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A breakdown of key components in post-construction acceptance of PV systems.
Through this session, Kiwa ExTEL aims to exchange insights with industry peers and contribute to the continued growth and sustainability of Taiwan's green energy future.
Reporter: Commercial Times - Bonnie Chen