Que: Could you please take us through the business journey, product portfolio and achievements of Airtouch Solar?

Ans: As one of the leading waterless robotic cleaning solution companies, Airtouch Solar was founded in 2017 by Yanir Allouche and is listed on Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. We started commercial operations in India in 2019 and within a short span of time, emerged as a market leader in dry robotic cleaning space.

Airtouch has state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in India and Israel with a production capacity that can be scalable up to 10 GW per year. Airtouch produces both autonomous and semi-autonomous robots resulting in the best ROI for the developer over the long run. Our association with all the major solar IPPs like Adani, Renew, Amplus, Acme, Hero Future Energy, Virescent, etc. is testimony to our excellent products and services.

Que: Airtouch Solar has recently inked a USD 3.2 million deal with Amplus Solar. Please tell us more about the contract and the services being offered by the company.

Ans: This project is the first tracker-based utility-scale solar project for both Airtouch and Amplus with cleaning robots. Airtouch’s robotic PV panel cleaning is expected to increase power generation by up to 1.2 percent and reduce water consumption by approximately 50 million litres per annum. This will also entail comprehensive maintenance for the robots for a period of 25 years. The installation of the system will reach completion by the end of 2023.

Que: Has there been any other development at Airtouch that you would like to highlight? What will be your growth strategies going forward?

Ans: We have recently launched a robotic cleaning solution for solar PV projects with trackers. This is done either using advanced autonomous vehicles that cover a few rows with a single robot or using the smart bridging system by connecting a few tables that rotate along with the trackers.

Que: What are the USPs of Airtouch robotic cleaning systems for solar panels? How does the technology of Airtouch Solar have an edge over its competitors?

Ans: Airtouch water-free robotic cleaning solutions stand out from other panel cleaning systems for a few reasons:

• Received best-in-class safety test results from PI Berlin for its microfiber-based cleaning technology with negligible impact on modules even after 25 years of cleaning.

• Patented wind-blowing technology that enables more efficient cleaning.

• All our robotic cleaning solutions are designed to perform the cleaning either every day or every alternate day to maximize the energy output of the PV developer.

• We provide the PV developer with a long-term service agreement that includes operation and a full maintenance package of the robots.

Que: How does a robotic water-free cleaning system help in boosting the solar energy output of the modules?

Ans: The power output of solar panels is limited by various losses such as mismatch loss, cable loss, diode and connection losses, shading losses and most importantly, soiling losses. Due to the soiling of solar panels, the power output can go down by up to 5 percent depending on the region and the frequency of manual cleaning of panels. Daily cleaning of solar panels using Airtouch’s autonomous robots not only reduces the soiling loss but also results in additional power generation.

Que: How does a robotic water-free cleaning system help in boosting the solar energy output of the modules?

Ans: The power output of solar panels is limited by various losses such as mismatch loss, cable loss, diode and connection losses, shading losses and most importantly, soiling losses. Due to the soiling of solar panels, the power output can go down by up to 5 percent depending on the region and the frequency of manual cleaning of panels. Daily cleaning of solar panels using Airtouch’s autonomous robots not only reduces the soiling loss but also results in additional power generation.

Que: Airtouch Solar has been steadily expanding its reach in India. Could you shed some light on the Company’s presence in the Indian market along with the clientele?

Ans: Yes, we are expanding our business not only in India but also globally to markets like MENA, USA and Latin America. Airtouch Solar’s manufacturing facility in Noida is one of the largest factories for solar robots in India. With an annual production capacity of more than 6 GW which can be further increased up to 10 GW, Airtouch is well placed to cater to the increasing need of robots for existing and upcoming solar projects in India. The plan is to utilize this factory to manufacture and supply robots to international markets as well. We have supplied and installed more than 2 GW solar robots in India with a strong interest and order pipeline of around 2 GW to be executed in the coming months. India market is one of the strategic markets both from manufacturing and sales perspective. We are working with major IPPs like Adani, Renew, Hero Future Energy, Acme, Amplus Solar, Virescent, etc.

Que: Could you please discuss some of the prominent trends shaping the solar energy sector today?

Ans: As we know solar energy is the fastest-growing energy source in the last few years and shall continue to grow in the future. A few trends are:

• Wind Solar Hybrid Systems/Projects
• Energy Storage
• Floating Solar
• AI and Machine Learning
• Use of Robots in Cleaning and manufacturing solar panels
• Smart Grid Technology
• High-Efficiency cell technologies like PERC, HJT, Top Con etc.
• Green Hydrogen production using solar Energy