Analyzing Defects of Solar Panels under Natural Atmospheric Conditions with Thermal Image Processing

Sun is an ultimate source of energy, which is clean, inexhaustible and safe for environment.The energy obtained from sun is known as solar energy.When solar radiations fall on earth surface solar cells convert these solar radiations into electrical energy.Solar cells are one of the important components of solar panels.Many solar cells combine in series or in parallel to form solar module and solar panels.A solar photovoltaic array is a combination of solar panels and is installed in open atmospheric condition.The natural conditions such as dust and dirt, shade of tree affect operation of solar panels.These natural conditions cannot be avoided but can be analyzed using visual inspection and thermal camera.The visual inspection approach is useful only when the defects are visible by naked human eye but when defects cannot be visualized by naked human eye thermo-graphical approach is used.This paper discusses the identification of various defects in solar panels by applying image processing technique applied for thermal images under natural atmospheric conditions for visual inspection, shading effect of tree, dust and dirt deposition effects on solar panels using thermal imaging camera.