NewTech Challenge:
Photovoltaic Plant Inspection

Solutions for Robotic Inspection of Cabling and Connections in Photovoltaic Plants

PERSEO is looking for systems that can detect anomalies and hotspots in electrical circuit cabling and connections beneath photovoltaic panels.

Iberdrola has an installed capacity of more than 5,000 MW of photovoltaic technology in Spain. Its maintenance requires regular inspection with visible spectrum and thermographic cameras of the condition of the wiring and connections of the electrical circuits located on the underside of the panels and the supporting structures, in order to identify potential hotspots.

Although several proof-of-concept trials for autonomous inspection have already been carried out, inspections are currently performed manually by personnel walking across the entire plant with thermographic “guns”. This process can take days or even weeks to complete a full inspection of the plant and requires sufficient qualified staff to carry it out.

Challenge description

Through PERSEO, Iberdrola’s start-up program, we are launching a challenge to identify fully autonomous or remotely operated systems that can help optimize the inspection of our photovoltaic plants.

The main goal—though not the only one—is to detect anomalies and hotspots in the wiring and electrical connections located underneath the photovoltaic panels, which are not fully visible from above using drone flights.

The terrain where these plants are located is often uneven, with brush, rocks, or the panel support structures themselves, making it difficult for wheeled equipment to move around. Additionally, the plants are exposed to harsh weather conditions such as high temperatures, rain, and wind. Any proposed solution must be able to withstand these conditions to improve maintenance inspections while reducing costs, time, and risks for our employees.

Some potential solutions may include, but are not limited to:

  • Fully autonomous vehicles and drones, or remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), adapted to challenging terrain (uneven surfaces, tall brush, etc.).
  • Image (visible and thermal) or video capture and condition scanning, followed by data analysis (complete inspection packages including 3D modeling or digital twin solutions).
  • Defect detection modeling based on captured data, with alert generation and inspection reporting.
  • If applicable, automatic battery charging systems with multiple charging bases distributed throughout the plant.
  • Provision of the necessary number and type of devices and charging bases to minimize total inspection time, along with intelligent management of these resources.

Key attributes we are looking for in proposals include:

  • Maturity and reliability of the solution.
  • Autonomous operation capabilities.
  • Optimization of investment and operating costs.
  • Implementation and staffing costs.
  • Ease of deployment, use, and minimal training requirements.
  • Continuity of energy generation.
  • No risk of generating high temperatures or sparks.
  • Compliance with Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) standards.