Our client asked us to complete a solar PC Inspection of a commercial roof top installation in Sharpness. Along with the usual drone planning requirements and risk assessments to conduct a safe and legal flight, the location was close to Berkeley Nuclear Power Station which required additional flight permissions. The inspection took place during a very busy August when we were out conducting Photovoltaic Solar Panel inspections most days each week.

IEC compliant inspections should only be performed by certified thermographers who understand the environmental conditions and thermographic calibration requirements to ensure the data collected is reliable.

One of the principal environmental conditions necessary is a minimum of 600 w/m2 of sun irradiance to ensure the panels are fully under load. This is why inspections are usually completed in the summer months, from late spring to early autumn, when clear sunny skies can be more relied upon.

The data collected from the inspection is then reported to our client in a formal structured document showing the anomalies and faults found, clearly describing their locations using a nomenclature that shows where the faults can be found on the panels.

Solar Panel Inspections can be conducted quickly and efficiently between the two hours either side of solar midday, that is approximately 10am to 2pm. Installations should be inspected regularly to ensure optimum operating efficiency. Usually this is bi-annually, however it is important to check with your insurance company on what they expect.