Field-validated soiling mitigation behavior
Dust accumulation on photovoltaic modules is a long-term physical process that directly impacts energy yield between cleaning cycles.
Over multiple years of outdoor operation, Dustoss has evaluated how WOPV-based systems influence dust accumulation, stabilization, and performance losses under real operating conditions.
This validation approach combines long-term field exposure with comparative performance analysis, focusing on persistent soiling mitigation behavior rather than short-term cleaning effects.
Long-term field experience
The Dustoss architecture has been validated through long-term field operation across thousands of panels and multiple sites.
Performance analysis is based on normalized, long-duration datasets, designed to isolate soiling effects under real operating conditions — including regular cleaning cycles.
Key facts:
5+ years of continuous field operation
5,000+ panels monitored
Multiple climates and installation types
Long-term normalized analysis
Performance gains persist over time — even when cleaning is applied.
Time-lapse observation of soiling behavior over a five-month period
Representative field deployments across multiple locations and installation types
What the long-term data shows
Long-term field measurements indicate a consistent reduction in performance losses associated with dust accumulation.
Analysis is based on normalized datasets designed to isolate soiling behavior under real operating conditions, including regular cleaning cycles.
The observed effect is cumulative over time, reflecting sustained mitigation of dust stabilization rather than episodic dust removal.
Normalized long-term field data comparing WOPV-based (DustShield) and untreated PV modules under identical outdoor conditions, without cleaning interventions.
Values are normalized to a common baseline to illustrate relative performance trends over time.
Independent laboratory evaluation (Fraunhofer ISE)
​
According to laboratory testing conducted by Fraunhofer, no damage to standard PV glass coatings, no impact on module electronics, and no degradation in panel performance were observed under the tested conditions.
From field validation to MicroThreads
​
The WOPV principle was initially validated in the field using DustShield — an early implementation developed to confirm long-term soiling mitigation behavior under real outdoor conditions.
Building on these insights, the MicroThreads architecture was developed as a manufacturing-ready implementation of the validated WOPV principle.
Across multiple field evaluations, MicroThreads-based systems have shown a consistent long-term energy uplift on the order of 1–2%.Long-term durability and operational lifetime of the MicroThreads architecture were further assessed through accelerated laboratory aging tests, supporting its suitability for scalable OEM integration.
Early MicroThreads field prototype, demonstrating minimal optical footprint and continuous surface interaction.