If you have solar panels on a home in Chippenham, Calne or the surrounding Wiltshire villages, it's worth looking up at them on a clear day. Over the years, lichen and moss slowly spread across the glass, starting as small orange or pale-grey spots and gradually spreading, especially along the bottom edge of each panel where moisture sits. Because the panels are out of sight, most homeowners never notice until output starts to drift. Why lichen matters more than ordinary dirt