Ryan Eriksen and Annie Bernard are Conquering Solar-Panel Dust

Hi, climate leaders 👋 

Welcome back to another issue of The Climate Scout!

Today at a glance:

• Introducing Sol Clarity

• Detailing their business model, tech, traction and team

• Why do we need this now?

• What is the climate impact?

• How you can support them!

-  Angelica 💜

Featured Startup: Sol Clarity

Today's climate startup is Sol Clarity. Sol Clarity is creating a technology that uses static electricity to clean solar panels without water. This process doesn't need any moving parts or manual labor, and only uses electric fields to remove dust. Sol Clarity’s goal is to maximize the power of solar energy by eliminating the need for water to clean solar panels. This will help us transition to a sustainable future powered by solar energy and prevent conflicts over resources like water.

Sol Clarity Fast Facts

Headquarters

Greentown Labs, Somerville, MA

Technology

Sol Clarity has developed a technology called Electrodynamic Screen (EDS) to help keep solar collectors clean. The EDS is a transparent overlay that can be added to solar panels without causing any damage or electrical problems. It removes dust from the panels, increasing their output, without needing water, maintenance, or moving parts. The EDS can be added during the manufacturing process or as a retrofit in the field. Sol Clarity is currently developing and testing both products for the market. The EDS uses electrodes to charge dust particles and then sweeps them off the surface with an electric wave. Sol Clarity believes that this technology can be combined with other coatings or technologies to improve the efficiency and lifespan of solar panels. They see it as a solution for areas with a lot of dust and dirt that are already using solar power, as well as areas with potential for solar growth but are hindered by soiling conditions.

Business Model

Sol Clarity is currently in the process of developing a product and has not started selling yet. Their first product will be available in December 2024 and it is a kit that can be added to existing solar sites to help with cleaning. Sol Clarity will sell these kits to companies that already clean and maintain solar sites. Their main customers will be large utility companies, but they are focusing on smaller rooftop sites for now because they are easier to service. Right now, Sol Clarity is focused on developing the technology and testing it in pilot sites. Their main goal is to install the kits in areas with a lot of dirt to prove that the technology works.

Traction

• Raised a $920K Seed with Equinor ventures, Techstars, and Friends & Family to begin work on the first commercial pilot

• Awarded the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) InnovateMass and Catalyst awards, and the Equinor and Techstars accelerator prize

• A member of Greentown Labs in Somerville, MA - the largest climate tech incubator in North America

• Won the Clean Energy Business Network (CEBN) EPIC pitch competition

• Part of Cleantech Open 2020, the world’s largest clean technology accelerator program

• Part of the Blueprint by The Engine (MIT) 2020 cohort, a tough tech accelerator program

• American Made Solar Prize 4 Semi-Finalist - a Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored prize for addressing challenges and innovation in solar development

Founders

Annie Bernard: Co-founder and CTO

• Over 8 years of experience with the EDS technology

• PhD candidate at Boston University

• Defended her PhD on the EDS development and durability at BU

Ryan Eriksen: Co-founder & CEO

• Over 8 years of experience with the EDS technology

• Postdoc at Boston University

• Holds a PhD in Material Science.

Why Now?

Sol Clarity is a company that focuses on solving the problem of dirt on solar panels. This dirt blocks sunlight and makes the panels less efficient. Traditional cleaning methods use a lot of water and can damage the panels. Sol Clarity has a solution that doesn't need water, manual labor, or maintenance. This saves time, money, and helps save water for people. Their technology, called EDS, makes solar energy cheaper and allows it to be used in places where dirt is a problem. By not using water, Sol Clarity also saves energy and helps solar energy grow in dry areas. This is important because climate change is causing a water crisis, and we need renewable energy to fight it. Sol Clarity believes that their technology's impact on saving water is just as important as making more solar energy.

Climate Impact

The EDS technology helps increase the use of solar energy, which is a clean source of energy. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions and has a positive impact on the environment. It also improves the efficiency of solar panels, increasing their output by about 7% each year. The EDS can do this without adding more panels or requiring a lot of resources and labor. This makes solar energy more reliable and reduces the need for other sources of energy that emit CO₂. The technology also eliminates carbon emissions from cleaning and transporting water for solar collectors. It benefits vulnerable communities by providing a solution for soiling on solar panels. It allows solar infrastructure to grow in arid regions, which are often poor. This helps preserve water sources and reduces the need for labor in harsh conditions. The EDS technology makes solar energy more accessible and reliable for communities that are vulnerable to soiling and the effects of climate change. It also improves the lives of minorities and disadvantaged groups who often lack access to reliable energy sources in developing countries. The economic benefits of solar growth support communities and countries financially, and the EDS technology reduces the need for water resources to support this growth.

Support Sol Clarity

• Investors - Sol Clarity is currently raising a Seed round and interested in connecting with investors

• Fractional Talent - Sol Clarity is open to connecting with Fractional Engineering and Fractional Legal talent

• Partners - Sol Clarity is looking for Agrivoltaics partners for a potential application to a DOE SETO dual-use funding opportunity

   

Recent Climate Rounds

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• Cloover raised a $7M Pre-Seed round to enhance its software platform, expand its service offerings, to launch in Germany, and expand across Europe

• Nala raised a $1.79M Pre-Seed round to bring nature to the board rooms.

• Novohydrogen raised a $20M Seed round to support the company’s growth and green hydrogen project development

• Klimate raised a $3.69M Seed round to facilitate the company in further accelerating its commercial efforts, enhance the platform’s capabilities and succeed in its mission to scale up the carbon removal capacity available for companies willing to reduce and offset emissions

• NOLD raised a $1.05M Seed round to help luxury brands generate additional revenue with second-hand sales

Cool Tools

• Fractional Climate - Find fractional climate talent for your company, fast & free 

• Net Zero Insights - Market Intelligence on Climate Tech Startups

• Moonarch - Meet investors for your startup for free

• Remote Climate Jobs - Get remote jobs delivered to your inbox every Wednesday

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