SolarGain - Using pattern recognition and AI to identify thermal defects and resulting power loss in solar farm performance

"Above Surveying uses drones, thermographic and visual cameras and automation to survey and identify under performing solar panels in utility scale solar farms.

Using drones and automation ensures the data that is produced is consistent across all types of solar assets and across the seasons of the year which makes the data even more valuable for the customer (asset owners, asset managers, operations and maintenance providers and technical advisers) and the industry (component manufacturers, insurers and lenders).

SolarGain is the product name for the Patented market leading inspection service and innovative reporting portal developed by Above Surveying. It delivers insightful and actionable data analytics across portfolios of solar farms assisting the owners and operators of solar farms to:

* produce more renewable energy;
* reduce operating costs and down time;
* increase the life of the solar farm; and
* reduce energy cost to consumers.

Above Surveying is the European leader in the use of drones and data analytics in the solar sector. This project will help Above Surveying stay ahead of its global competition, continue growing its UK customer base and increase its international presence through a drone partner network.

Through the use of the Computer Vision, Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning techniques, this project will deliver a step change in the level of automation used during the data and image processing stage of the service. This will allow Above Surveying to scale up quickly and turnout inspection reports quicker to the end client, greatly increasing its market attraction.

If successfully funded, this project will allow a start up technology business based in the UK to internationalise and scale its service far in excess of what is capable by its competition.

An average 5 megawatt (MW) solar farm in the UK has 410 defects or a defect rate of 2.4%. Without this type of service, solar farms will produce less electricity and have a shorter life than is possible which has a detrimental impact on the global economy and environment. The value of the service is already understood and international demand is increasing in line with solar deployments."