Drone Tech is Helping Solar Companies Scale Even Faster
Consider this:
>> For the solar industry to capture a larger percentage of the energy market, the solar cost curve must come down from today’s $.06 per kWh to the goal of $.03. How will leading solar providers achieve this cost reduction?
Drones and AI-powered software.
That’s according to DroneDeploy [www.dronedeploy.com] — a drone mapping software startup with the largest commercial drone data platform in the world. They are sharing some of the ways solar companies are creating market advantages by managing their arrays with drone software.
Here are five ways drones will help solar companies grow:
1. REDUCE INSPECTION TIME ON EXISTING ARRAYS
As solar companies scale from 25 megawatts to over 300, the time it takes for site inspections and maintenance grows along with it. Drone technology drastically reduces that time while providing solar panel visuals from 400 feet.
2. IDENTIFY PROBLEMS EARLY
With drone technology, operators can identify problem areas and deploy solutions quickly— reducing the time panels are offline, increasing their peak efficiency and improving the lifecycle of the asset.
3. ALLOW COMPANIES TO SCALE OPERATIONS FASTER
As solar hardware improvements slow, solar companies are finding efficiencies in software that set them apart from the pack and allow them operate with better margins. Lower costs and higher margins are boosting solar adoption as these efficiencies become more pronounced and achievable at scale.
4. SUPPLEMENT EXISTING WORKFORCE
Drone technology allows workers to do their jobs better and faster, adding to the time and cost advantage. Drone software helps solar companies conduct sites inspections at a fraction of the time, leaving more resources for growth and allowing for bigger, more profitable solar arrays.
5. GET SITE APPROVALS FASTER
Large-scale projects take time to get off the ground, stifling the ability for companies to scale quickly. Drone technology allows companies to construct sites faster and conduct inspections more quickly thanks to real-time aerial maps and 3D models that aid the building process.
These are just a few ways DroneDeploy is helping solar companies gain a competitive advantage; allowing them to grow at a rate necessary to compete within the solar industry and with other energy sources.
