TSO develops solar plant maintenance software using drones
Spanish solar energy company, The South Oracle (TSO), has developed and patented a new software for the automatic identification of failures in images taken by drones flying over solar panels. In addition to guaranteeing the maintenance of photovoltaic plants, it also allows for repowering.
TSO's team of scientists and engineers work inside the Biomedical Technology Center of the Polytechnic University of Madrid to develop the Optimised Solar Repowering (OSR) project, which will get its commercial launch in the first quarter of next year.
The company's R&D department used extensive analysis of solar plants across Europe and found a strong need for the acceleration of the maintenance process, including cost minimisation and duration.
The ensuing research focused on developing a computer system connected to drones, the aim of which was to provide a complete and fast report of the current status of each photovoltaic panel in a plant.
The result was the preventative-predictive and corrective Smart Solar Maintenance (SSM) software. Through the software, thermography and images from the drones can speed up the repowering of solar plants, as well as detect failures in solar modules instantly. SSM can also allow for the reinstallation of damaged panels aiding optimal solar production.
A press release from TSO said: "With this software, TSO will put an end to the problems many current installations have nowadays – which gradually affect their production during their useful life – by predicting the panels that are going to fail"
Research conducted by the company found that within a decade of installation 6-8% of solar panel presented problems or failures, and that throughout their lifetime, 2% of all the panbels would fail at some point.
The project was financed by the EU's European Regional Development Fund and the CDTI, a public institution, itself funded by the Spanish government and universities which aims to promote innovation and technological development in Spanish companies.
Back to Homepage
Back to Energy & Utilities