Quzhou, Zhejiang: Intelligent O&M powers corporate green development

On Youqin Road in Donghua subdistrict, Longyou county, Quzhou, Zhejiang province, State Grid Quzhou Power Supply Company personnel deployed an infrared-enabled UAV to inspect the rooftop PV installation at Longyou County People's Hospital on Oct 17, pre-emptively detecting latent defects and improving the reliability of solar generation.

[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Photovoltaic energy — clean, environmentally friendly, and renewable — has become a key part of China's efforts to achieve its dual-carbon goals. To safeguard the steady output of distributed generating stations, the utility has infused technology into PV O&M, institutionalizing an unmanned-aerial smart-monitoring service model. Teams now perform periodic patrols and energy-efficiency assessments, acquiring real-time intelligence on plant health to guarantee a stable, high-quality flow of "green kinetic energy".

The "health check" covered every critical subsystem. Operators skillfully piloted the infrared UAV into a smooth ascent; under precise ground control, it tracked a pre-loaded flight path while its thermal payload continuously mapped temperatures across PV strings, inverter terminations, and combiner boxes, ensuring the plant remained within safe operating limits.

"The infrared UAV sweep not only completed a full-coverage inspection of the hospital's PV system in record time, but it also raised both the efficiency and the accuracy of our O&M," said the company's project leader. Unlike traditional foot patrols, the aerial platform is able to access hard-to-reach areas effortlessly and, through infrared thermography, spot incipient faults earlier and more precisely, lifting PV yield and securing a consistent stream of green electricity.