Photovoltaic

Infrared Inspections of Solar Energy Systems

The naked eye does not readily identify the most common solar power systems problems. These anomalies cause permanent cell damage and are the most destructive anomaly for solar panels. Micro-cracks, internal faults, and potential induced degradation (PID) lead to increased resistance indicated by “hot spots”. Owners of these solar power systems need to understand the cascading effect of just one improperly functioning cell.

HOT/SHOT’s extensive experience with drones and helicopter surveys allows us to quickly understand the economic benefits and have incorporated it into the use for various IR inspections. Our FAA Part 107 certified pilots provide customers with detailed thermal analysis of the solar array.

“An often-overlooked value of thermal solar inspections is to perform a detailed inspection upon commissioning, both to provide a baseline set of images and data from which to start a trend analysis program and to catch faults that were caused by substandard installation, which may be covered under warranty.”

-According to Greg Nagler, Global Business Development Director sUAS at Teledyne FLIR,