Intertek Group will integrate drone-based inspection technology from Aerial PV Inspection GmbH to assess solar assets across their full life cycle
It says AePVI’s proprietary drone software can quickly identify solar module defects, thus helping speed up inspections of large solar plants
The acquisition strengthens Intertek’s end-to-end solar offering under Intertek CEA, building on its earlier purchase of Clean Energy Associates
UK-based global total quality assurance company Intertek Group has expanded its suite of services with the acquisition of Aerial PV Inspection GmbH (AePVI) of Germany, which provides drone-based technologies for solar assets.
Intertek plans to incorporate AePVI’s high-speed drone-based technology for data collection, analysis, and comparison across the asset’s life cycle.
AePVI uses its proprietary digital software for its drones to identify defects in solar modules that may have been caused during shipping, weather, or even during manufacturing, installation, and operations.
In 2024, AePVI joined hands with the Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH) to develop Light Induced Electroluminescence (LIEL) – an EL inspection method to analyze PV field systems and to identify failures in PV modules. The technology was a finalist for The smarter E AWARD 2024 (see Non-Contact High-Res LIEL Characterization From Aerial PV Inspection And ISFH).
AePVI, a small company with 5 employees, is already engaged by solar developers and operators in Europe, said Intertek, which sees this acquisition as highly complementary to its end-to-end quality assurance offering for the solar industry through Intertek CEA.
Intertek had previously acquired US-based solar PV and battery storage technical advisory firm Clean Energy Associates in 2022 (see Britain’s Intertek Acquires Clean Energy Associates).
“With this cutting-edge technology, Intertek CEA will gain a speed advantage while inspecting large solar farms, enabling superior customer service, increased productivity and enhanced capacity,” stated Intertek.
The IEA PVPS sees advanced tools like drones, satellites, and cloud storage as useful for improved monitoring of remotely located floating solar PV sites and cutting down human intervention (see IEA PVPS: Global Floating PV Capacity Hit 7.7 GW In 2023).
