PV Underperformance Detection

In an exciting new initiative, Eurac Research has partnered with Total Energies OT to tackle a critical challenge in the field of photovoltaic (PV) technology: the detection and analysis of underperformance in PV systems. The project focuses on the development of a simulation tool to support the testing and training of AI algorithms designed to identify performance issues in PV installations. Accurate testing and training of underperformance detection algorithms require a comprehensive database from real PV sites. However, such data is not readily available.

Due to the limited availability of comprehensive, labeled datasets from real PV systems, the project aims to explore the generation of synthetic data that realistically represents various underperformance scenarios. The simulator under development will model a wide range of underperformance mechanisms, offering a novel approach that complements traditional models focused on ideal system behavior.

Eurac Research will develop a simulator of PV underperformance, encompassing faults, degradation, and meteorological malfunctions. This advanced model will explore the full spectrum of issues that can go "wrong" in a PV plant, as opposed to traditional models focusing on expected performance. Through this collaboration, researchers will seek to understand how to combine various underperformance mechanisms into a coherent and realistic dataset.

A key ambition of the project is to make the datasets generated through this work available to the international scientific community, thereby fostering transparency, reproducibility, and innovation in the field of PV fault detection and system reliability.

With this ambitious project, Eurac Research and Total Energies OT aim to push the boundaries of PV technology, providing valuable insights and tools to the global PV community. By developing and sharing sophisticated datasets, they hope to enhance the effectiveness of underperformance detection algorithms and improve the overall reliability and efficiency of PV systems worldwide.