The solar energy and solar farms are used to generate energy and reduce dependence on oil (or for environmental purposes). The maintenance, operation, optimization, and repairs in big farms become very difficult, expensive, and inefficient, using human technicians. Thus, here, we teach using the robots with various functions and components, in various settings, for various purposes, to improve operations in big (or hard-to-access) farms, to automate, save money, reduce human mistakes, increase efficiency, or scale the solutions to very large scales or areas, e.g., for repair, operation, calibration, testing, maintenance, adjustment, cleaning, improving the efficiency, and tracking the Sun.

A method is provided for determining a state of a solar-thermal field with rows, arranged in parallel in a transverse direction of the field, of successively arranged parabolic trough collectors having a mirroring reflector surface, which each have, along their longitudinal extent, a focal point line in which at least one absorber pipe is arranged in each case. The following steps are performed: positioning a recording device to capture recordings at least in the infrared range at a predefined height above the field; creating, by means of the recording device, recordings of images of absorber pipes reflected by the parabolic trough collectors, the recording device being moved over the parabolic trough collectors in a transverse direction transverse to the longitudinal extent and the recordings being made by the recording device in the form of associated image sequences; and determining an intensity of the thermal radiation of the respective absorber pipe by means of radiometric evaluation of the recordings at least in the infrared range.

A method is provided for determining a state of a solar-thermal field with rows, arranged in parallel in a transverse direction of the field, of successively arranged parabolic trough collectors having a mirroring reflector surface, which each have, along their longitudinal extent, a focal point line in which at least one absorber pipe is arranged in each case. The following steps are performed: positioning a recording device to capture recordings at least in the infrared range at a predefined height above the field; creating, by means of the recording device, recordings of images of absorber pipes reflected by the parabolic trough collectors, the recording device being moved over the parabolic trough collectors in a transverse direction transverse to the longitudinal extent and the recordings being made by the recording device in the form of associated image sequences; and determining an intensity of the thermal radiation of the respective absorber pipe by means of radiometric evaluation of the recordings at least in the infrared range.

A monitoring system that is configured to monitor a property is disclosed. The monitoring system includes a sensor that is configured to generate sensor data that reflects an attribute of the property; a solar panel that is configured to generate and output power; and a monitor control unit. The monitor control unit is configured to: monitor the power outputted by the solar panel; determine that the power outputted by the solar panel has deviated from an expected power range; based on determining that the power outputted by the solar panel has deviated from the expected power range, access the sensor data; based on the power outputted by the solar panel and the sensor data, determine a likely cause of the deviation from the expected power range; and determine an action to perform to remediate the likely cause of the deviation from the expected power range.

A system (100) and method can monitor a reflectance of a mirror target that includes at least one curved mirror (M). The system (100) can take a first irradiance measurement of the sun (S), the first irradiance measurement representing a direct solar irradiance. The system (100) can take a second irradiance measurement that represents an irradiance from a reflection of the sun (S) from the mirror target plus background irradiance from a reflection of the sky from the mirror target. The system (100) can take a third irradiance measurement that represents the background irradiance from the reflection of the sky from the mirror target. The system (100) can determine a reflectance of the mirror target from the first, second, and third irradiance measurements. The system (100) can compare the reflectance to a specified reflectance threshold, and, upon determining that the reflectance of the mirror target is less than the specified reflectance threshold, can generate an alert signal.

The solar energy and solar farms are used to generate energy and reduce dependence on oil (or for environmental purposes). The maintenance, operation, optimization, and repairs in big farms become very difficult, expensive, and inefficient, using human technicians. Thus, here, we teach using the robots with various functions and components, in various settings, for various purposes, to improve operations in big (or hard-to-access) farms, to automate, save money, reduce human mistakes, increase efficiency, or scale the solutions to very large scales or areas, e.g., for repair, operation, calibration, testing, maintenance, adjustment, cleaning, improving the efficiency, and tracking the Sun.

The solar energy and solar farms are used to generate energy and reduce dependence on oil (or for environmental purposes). The maintenance, operation, optimization, and repairs in big farms become very difficult, expensive, and inefficient, using human technicians. Thus, here, we teach using the robots with various functions and components, in various settings, for various purposes, to improve operations in big (or hard-to-access) farms, to automate, save money, reduce human mistakes, increase efficiency, or scale the solutions to very large scales or areas, e.g., for repair, operation, calibration, testing, maintenance, adjustment, cleaning, improving the efficiency, and tracking the Sun.

A method of determining a reflector parameter of a concentrating solar collector's reflector surface. An image is captured of the reflected receiver tube in the reflector surface, with an image capturing device, e.g. a camera, and processed to put together image data related to the reflected receiver tube. Further, the method comprises determining a location of the image capturing device at a capturing time of the captured image, and determining a position on the reflector surface based on the determined location of the image capturing device and the image data. The method comprises also calculating the reflector parameter at the determined position based on the image data. By numeric calculation of reflector parameters, such as slope, defects, e.g. caused by impacts or material imperfections, may be identified at an early stage before installing the solar collectors, which may reduce service needs.

A method of determining a reflector parameter of a concentrating solar collector's reflector surface. An image is captured of the reflected receiver tube in the reflector surface, with an image capturing device, e.g. a camera, and processed to put together image data related to the reflected receiver tube. Further, the method comprises determining a location of the image capturing device at a capturing time of the captured image, and determining a position on the reflector surface based on the determined location of the image capturing device and the image data. The method comprises also calculating the reflector parameter at the determined position based on the image data. By numeric calculation of reflector parameters, such as slope, defects, e.g. caused by impacts or material imperfections, may be identified at an early stage before installing the solar collectors, which may reduce service needs.

A monitoring system that is configured to monitor a property is disclosed. The monitoring system includes a sensor that is configured to generate sensor data that reflects an attribute of the property; a solar panel that is configured to generate and output power; and a monitor control unit. The monitor control unit is configured to: monitor the power outputted by the solar panel; determine that the power outputted by the solar panel has deviated from an expected power range; based on determining that the power outputted by the solar panel has deviated from the expected power range, access the sensor data; based on the power outputted by the solar panel and the sensor data, determine a likely cause of the deviation from the expected power range; and determine an action to perform to remediate the likely cause of the deviation from the expected power range.