Efficiency control of systems
Inspection and diagnosis of solar modules from the air
Regular inspections are also an essential part of operational efficiency when managing solar installations. Thermal imaging camera manufacturer Flir Systems shows how solar installations can be efficiently inspected from the air using thermal imaging drones.
The management of solar installations is estimated to cost the industry 1 billion US dollars a year in labor costs. Regular inspections are an essential part of operational efficiency. However, they can be dangerous and time-consuming. Performing a complete inspection of a solar installation with portable electrical test instruments alone is so labor-intensive that it can take several weeks. At a large utility site, checking each individual string can be an endless task. Even checking smaller commercial and rooftop installations can take several days.
With any solar installation, it is crucial to detect and eliminate problems through regular inspections in order to avoid major failures, make warranty claims against suppliers and operate within the contractually agreed performance and yield margins. Solar panels that are not achieving peak performance due to problems with inverters, generator connections, string defects, module problems, misaligned solar trackers or even shading are made visible within seconds by infrared (IR) imaging. Solar panels that are not working efficiently usually have a different heat signature than panels that are working properly. A drone solution with integrated Flir thermal imaging technology, such as the Flir M210 XT2 640-13 mm, makes it easy for users to quickly inspect a wide target area and pinpoint problems on solar panels from the air. Once the problem area has been identified using IR imaging, they can use a digital multimeter or current clamp such as the Extech MA445 to check for electrical faults and rectify them.
The results
By incorporating thermal imaging inspections into their regular maintenance schedule, users can reduce their inspection times from weeks to hours with a drone-based solution and from hours to minutes with a portable thermal imaging solution. This allows them to work more safely as they come into contact with fewer system elements during their inspections and increase their overall efficiency.
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