The use of digital twins in the solar energy industry continues to grow to monitor and maintain existing structures, optimize performance, and improve efficiency. With advances in drone technology, it is now possible to gather data from solar farms in real-time, creating high-resolution images and videos of solar panels, components, and other assets. This data can then be used to generate a digital twin to provide real-time data that can evolve and update to provide current conditions of a solar installation, including the health and performance of each panel.
"Digital twins are a visual manifestation of different strings of data. Without them multiple teams would all be dealing with different parts of the puzzle. It would be like sharing a jigsaw out among your friends and never getting together to piece it into a whole."
This article will look at the role of drones in the creation of digital twins for solar farms, the benefits digital twins offer to stakeholders, and how you can digitize your solar assets with drones. Whether you are a solar farm operator or investor, this article provides valuable information on how to maximize the benefits of digital twins while improving your return on investment (ROI).
Table of Contents
3D Model of Solar Farm Under Construction
What is a Digital Twin for Solar?
A digital twin refers to a virtual, or digital, representation of a physical object, such as solar farm assets, that can be monitored, analyzed, and optimized to improve efficiency, performance, and maintenance. Once created, they can become more than just a virtual representation of a physical space. The digital twin can be connected to the actual structures and components, allowing for real-time data exchange between the two, connecting the physical and the virtual together.
The digital twin provides real-time data about a solar farm’s operations and allows for simulations in various scenarios to identify potential issues before they happen so asset managers can take proactive steps to resolve the issues.
Traditionally, this is done through Internet of Things (IoT) devices and 3D modeling to visualize and connect the pieces together. As it relates to solar farms, these traditional software models have limitations because they do not consider factors such as exact location, environmental conditions, wear and tear of parts, previous damage, and the individual characteristics of components or even the energy production processes.
"Digital Twins use a combination of sensor data and machine learning to provide individualized algorithms, which are then, able to model actual performance of a module."
With advancements in drone technology, digital twins created with drones are now being seen as one of the best ways to monitor and maintain existing structures in solar facilities. This is because once the digital twin of a solar installation is created it then allows asset operators to detect changes, monitor progress, and inspect details in a real-world context. This includes all the inherent issues and flaws that may exist in each module and component.
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What's included in YOUR GUIDE...
Techniques for Exposing Warrantiable Items on Your PV Sites.
A Proven Roadmap for Successfully Implementing Drones in Solar.
Strategies for Identifying DC Losses and Avoiding Downtime.
Utilizing Drone Technology for Digital Twins
Drones have become an indispensable tool in the creation of digital twins for solar farms and they play a critical role in the creation and maintenance of digital twins while providing a positive return on the investments being made.
"The digitalization tools will be standardized globally in due time since there is a clear ROI. The digital cost, including basic digital infrastructure, connectivity, and processing, amounts to less than 1% of the total costs."
To create a digital twin of a solar farm, a drone equipped with high-resolution cameras and sensors is used to capture images and data of the solar panels, wiring, inverters, and other critical components. Using LiDAR and then Photogrammetry, the drone flies over the solar arrays, capturing detailed images and data that can be used to create an accurate virtual representation of the physical structure. This will provide a detailed orthophoto of the entire facility as well as a colorized point cloud with a tremendous amount of detail.
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This drone data is then processed and analyzed using specialized mapping software applications where the creation of a digital twin can be made. The final digital twin will include information about the performance and health of each panel, mounting structures, inverters, and any other critical components an asset manager requests with the drone service provider. This data will then be created into a deliverable with a plan to identify issues, take proactive steps to resolve them, improve overall performance and reduce downtime.
Once a digital twin is set up and operational, drones can then be used for regular inspections of the solar farm to ensure the digital twin remains accurate and up-to-date. The drone will make inspection flights over the solar farm and capture images and data of any changes or modifications that have been made, updating the digital twin in real-time.
Drone LiDAR Point Cloud of Utility-scale Solar Farm
Solar Stakeholders Maximizing the Benefits of Digital Twins
Creating a digital twin of a solar farm offers numerous benefits to solar stakeholders.
"By linking the physical and digital realms, stakeholders can be guided through the design and delivery process in an integrated and understandable way… to more fully understand the buildability and stakeholder impact during the various lifecycle stages."
A few examples where digital twins can help maximize the benefits of a solar investment would be:
- Data-driven decision-making: Digital twins provide valuable data to solar investors, helping them to assess the health of their investments and information to be able to make informed decisions. The virtual representation of the solar farm can be analyzed to detect issues and identify opportunities for improvement, allowing investors to make data-driven decisions that maximize their return on investment (ROI).
- Improved performance and efficiency: By analyzing the digital twin, solar stakeholders can optimize the performance and efficiency of their solar farm. They can identify opportunities to improve energy production, reduce downtime, and extend the lifespan of their solar panels, maximizing their investment.
- Remote monitoring and maintenance: With a digital twin in place, solar maintenance teams can monitor their solar farm from anywhere, at any time. This can allow for remote monitoring and maintenance, reducing the need for costly and time-consuming on-site visits.
- Increased safety: By using a digital twin for inspections, solar installers can reduce the need for workers to climb onto roofs or access other dangerous areas, reducing the risk of workplace accidents and improving overall safety for their employees.
- Streamlined operations: The use of digital twins for solar farms can streamline operations, reducing the need for manual processes and freeing up time and resources for other important tasks.
How to Digitize Your Solar Assets with Drones
The role of drones in creating digital twins for solar farms is a critical factor to ensure the success and profitability of a PV system. By leveraging the power of a digital twin, solar stakeholders can maximize the benefits of their investment, improving performance, efficiency, safety, and at the same time streamline their operations. To get started, solar managers can either utilize an O&M contractor or work directly with a local drone service provider.
At The Drone Life our team of experts offer tailored aerial solutions for companies managing large and small solar portfolios. We have direct experience with digital twin solutions and can successfully implement a custom designed drone technology package for your facility.
Don’t hesitate, schedule a free consultation with one of our drone experts today and discover the benefits of a digital twin for your solar facility. The Drone Life is here to provide a comprehensive solution to meet your needs and help you stay ahead of the game in the ever-evolving solar energy industry.
What's included in YOUR GUIDE...
Techniques for Exposing Warrantiable Items on Your PV Sites.
A Proven Roadmap for Successfully Implementing Drones in Solar.
Strategies for Identifying DC Losses and Avoiding Downtime.
