A real-world case study showing how drone inspections improved operational efficiency, maintenance planning, and performance monitoring at the Shams 1 CSP Power Plant.
AT SHAMS POWER PLANT, UAE
In the heart of the UAE, just 120 km from Abu Dhabi, the Shams 1 CSP plant stands as a beacon of innovation in renewable energy. Shams Power Company owns and operates the plant. As a 100 MW power plant, it combines proven parabolic trough technology with cutting-edge power generation. In doing so, it symbolizes the nation’s commitment to sustainability. With its inauguration in 2013, Shams 1 became the largest CSP project globally and the Middle East’s first. Today, operating in the Al Dhafra Region, it injects clean energy into the national grid.
As Shams 1 pursued operational excellence, challenges emerged from its manual monitoring methods. In particular, daily patrols, yearly thermographic inspections, and alignment measurements demanded substantial time and resources. In response, Shams 1 embarked on a collaborative journey with Volateq to revolutionize its solar field performance monitoring.
A 100 MW plant, in numbers
Shams 1 spans 2.5 square kilometers with 192 loops. Moreover, it features over 258,000 mirrors, 768 solar collector assembly units, and more than 25,000 absorber tubes. Together, these components maximize solar energy conversion. As a result, the facility generates 100 MW of nameplate power and sends every watt directly to the grid, without power storage.
The previous situation at Shams Power Plant
In pursuit of operational excellence, Shams 1 Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant sought to enhance their operations and maintenance procedures for greater efficiency. Recognizing the limitations of their previous monitoring, which relied on manual efforts and resource-intensive processes, Shams 1 identified key challenges in their daily operations:
- Daily patrols: teams manually inspected mirror status, Heat Collection Element (HCE) status, ball joints, main Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) header sliding supports, and accumulated sand on solar field roads. Each day, this required 3 hours from at least one Solar Field Operator (SFO), two helpers, and a pickup.
- Thermographic inspection: every year, the thermographic inspection of absorber tubes took at least one month. Specifically, it demanded 3 hours per day for 30 days, with a team of at least one SFO, a helper, and a pickup.
- Alignment measurement: measurements based on Solar Collector Element (SCE) performance took 20 minutes per SCE. In addition, each one involved at least one SFO, two helpers, and a pickup.
In short, these routine inspections were not only time-intensive but also difficult to scale accurately. Therefore, Shams 1 implemented Volateq’s solar analytics software for drone technology. The goal: streamline operations, improve efficiency, and reduce manual labor.
“Volateq’s solution revolutionized our solar field monitoring. We are noting efficiency gains and the real-time insights ensure a reliable energy supply.” – Salim Khelifa, Engineering Manager, Shams Power Company
Implementation of Volateq’s services
By embracing Volateq’s drone analysis technology, Shams 1 has overcome its operational challenges. Furthermore, it has unlocked benefits that extend far beyond conventional monitoring methods:
- Efficiency amplified: Volateq’s drone analysis replaced labor-intensive patrols with a swift, one-hour flight covering all 192 loops. As a result, the team saves significant time and can redirect resources towards strategic work instead of routine inspections.
- Real-time decision-making: data uploads quickly, and the automatic analysis completes within one hour. Consequently, decision-makers receive the information they need precisely when they need it, which enhances the plant’s overall responsiveness.
- Comprehensive monitoring: the drones capture detailed data during normal solar field operation. For example, the output covers broken mirrors, alignment issues, HCE status, and gas saturation metrics. In other words, the plant gains a thorough understanding of its performance without extensive, time-consuming inspections.
- Strategic resource allocation: by eliminating onerous daily patrols and lengthy yearly thermographic inspections, Shams 1 can allocate resources where they matter most. In turn, this optimizes manpower and supports a more sustainable, cost-effective operational model.
- Precise maintenance protocols: specialized procedures for critical positions like Zenith address SCE alignment and torsion introduced by friction. Thus, maintenance efforts go exactly where they are needed most, which minimizes downtime and extends the lifespan of critical components.
Setting a benchmark for the CSP industry
In conclusion, the collaboration with Volateq has resolved operational challenges and positioned Shams 1 at the forefront of innovation in CSP technology.
Moreover, the benefits extend beyond efficiency gains. Ultimately, they pave the way for a future where concentrated solar power is not just sustainable, but smart and strategically driven: a benchmark for the entire CSP industry.
