Renewable energy sources are an increasingly popular investment that is helping to improve the world's impact on the environment. Wind, solar and wave are constantly being upgraded into more affordable options, enabling many businesses to choose an eco-friendlier way of acquiring the power they need.
These vital alternatives to coal, oil and gas have already significantly reduced any business's environmental footprint and saved energy expenses. However, solar panels and wind turbines are complex pieces of machinery that require regular surveys to maintain their effectiveness. By adding a thermal imaging camera to your maintenance program, you can make this potentially lengthy assessment significantly more manageable.
Renewable Energy in the UK
Most people are aware of wind turbines in the countryside, and many homes and business owners have installed solar panels on their roofs to adopt renewable energy. However, renewable energy's success is not just limited to homes and businesses but is also used for large-scale energy generation.
Thanks to the UK government's commitment to creating a carbon-neutral nation by 2050, vast investments have been made into the industry and supporting the development of solar farms. These solar farms are a large-scale application of what homes and businesses achieve as they consist of hundreds of solar panels that provide immense amounts of renewable electricity. It's estimated that there are currently just under 500 solar farms across the UK generating 11.6GW (gigawatts) of electricity, a staggering figure that can power more than a hundred billion lightbulbs.
But one thing all these sites have in common is that they need their photovoltaic panels to be in the best working order, which demands detailed maintenance surveys.
Thermal Imaging for Solar Panel Maintenance
Over time, solar panels can become less effective. This is because isolated internal cells can break down and reduce the power generated by the whole solar panel. Other issues can arise too, with extended use, such as other internal components reducing their load efficiency or overheating. If left unchecked, these problems will eventually lead to a complete breakdown; fortunately, thermal imaging cameras are an excellent tool for preventing these outcomes.
There are many advantages to choosing an electrical thermographic survey for solar panel evaluations. Our high-end cameras can quickly reveal any anomalies visually through non-invasive thermal surveys. Any unusual temperatures will indicate signs of damaged components, which can be seen either as hotspots overheating or cold spots that no longer conduct the required electricity. Due to the non-invasive nature of a thermal imaging survey, you can also complete your assessments without deactivating the solar panel, thereby keeping uninterrupted productivity. Thermal imaging surveys also significantly speed up any maintenance checks as they enable an engineer to survey large areas quickly; this is especially useful for maintaining large-scale renewable energy sites like solar and wind farms.
Thermal Imaging Surveys for Wind Farms
Wind farms are one of the most productive methods for generating renewable energy. The combination of offshore and onshore wind farms creates roughly one-sixth of the UK's energy needs. This vast amount of renewable energy requires many wind turbines, which must be regularly assessed for potential maintenance needs.
These intimidating machines contain an impressive amount of electrical and mechanical components, and similar to solar panels, parts can wear down or break over time. Allowing these issues to build only results in costly downtime and potential accidents.
Thermal maintenance surveys are highly effective at preventing these dangerous breakdowns. They can assess the electrical elements (similar to surveying solar panels) and enable engineers to see the condition of the mechanical components in the same non-invasive visual format. For example, a typical result of a mechanical element suffering from wear is the heat generated from repeated friction. These hot spots are easily identified with a thermal camera, allowing an engineer to pre-emptively fix the problem before any disaster. These problem areas can even be viewed from ground level, ensuring that they are completed as efficiently as possible.
A common cause for these costly shutdowns amongst wind turbines is the brake mechanism or the gearbox. These vital areas are designed to regulate the turbine blades' speed. If either fails, it can lead to the turbine operating faster than intended and cause damage to the turbine.
A thermal imaging survey can provide you with a complete picture of the status of a renewable energy source. Beyond the turbine and panels, these detailed cameras can inspect the connected components that deliver the collected energy, such as transformers, connectors and more. The visual data provided by these cameras enables your maintenance schedules to be effective, efficient and reliable as it becomes straightforward to identify the source of any problems and plan to resolve them accordingly.
Thermal Imaging Surveys From Thermascan
At Thermascan, we have assisted the growth of these renewable energy sources by providing a range of thermal imaging services to enhance the existing maintenance programs of a broad range of industries.
Including a thermal camera survey in your condition maintenance program will ensure the quality of your maintenance on your machinery by providing you with invaluable data on your equipment that isn’t readily visible.
As well as our range of high-end thermal cameras for hire, we also offer a detailed thermal imaging service. Our team of level two certified engineers have had great success conducting thorough thermal imaging services onsite as either one-off or planned recurring services to suit your maintenance schedule.
Discover more about our high-quality thermal imaging services online today and see how we can help you look after your renewable energy sources.