Challenge

Perpetum, a leading entity in the energy sector with a focus on photovoltaic panel (PV) installation and monitoring in Belgium, faced a significant challenge in monitoring and managing their vast array of PV power plants. Their primary goal was to reduce the downtime of PV plants and perform early identification of anomalies. The objective aimed to enhance the capabilities of the maintenance team, optimize energy output, and guarantee the satisfaction of their clients. Their secondary aim was to forecast the production of photovoltaic energy up to a week in advance. This was intended to mitigate imbalances in the electric grid and improve their financial performance.

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Outcome

Our team implemented a solution which involved several key steps and achievements. We first created a scalable big data infrastructure to handle the large amount of data from PV power plants. The infrastructure forms the backbone for the monitoring web platform, facilitating seamless data collection, processing, and analysis. We then incorporated intelligent anomaly detection mechanisms into the web platform, using advanced machine learning (ML) algorithms. The integration allows Perpetum’s maintenance team to receive real-time alerts for detected anomalies in electricity production. Promptly addressing these issues minimizes downtime, optimizes performance, and improves operational efficiency; ultimately leading to reduced financial losses Moreover, the platform we developed offers Perpetum's customers the ability to view their production up to a week in advance. Our team developed this forecast functionality using machine learning-based algorithms, taking into account weather forecasts and historical production data to ensure accurate predictions. By leveraging these predictions, Perpetum's customers can optimize the reselling of their exceeding production, resulting in increased financial returns. We also built a custom monitoring and reporting platform that retrieves data from multiple third-party systems. With its intuitive interface, this platform is accessible to both technical and non-technical users within Perpetum, allowing the team to concentrate on ensuring the smooth operation and optimal performance of their PV plants. Currently, the application we developed and deployed is in active use in production, effectively collecting and aggregating data while forecasting the activity of hundreds of megawatts of solar power in Belgium and abroad.

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Conclusion

Perpetum has successfully transformed their PV power plant monitoring capabilities. Their maintenance team now benefits from immediate alerts about anomalies, enabling prompt issue resolution and minimizing downtime. The enhanced efficiency has significantly contributed to Perpetum's growth. Accurate energy production forecasting has also positively impacted their financial performance. With real-time reporting and predictive capabilities, Perpetum's clients can make timely actions, ensuring their satisfaction and trust. Our collaboration with Perpetum showcases the transformative power of advanced data-driven solutions.