ZERODEFECT4PV – H2020, HORIZON EUROPE

Project code: ERANET-ENERDIGIT-ZERODEFECT4PV

Contract number: Ctr. 64/2024

The total value of the budget: 1.250.500,00 RON

The total value of the contract: 1.000.000,00 RON

The total value of the co-founding: 250.500,00 RON

The start date of the contract: 31/03/2024

The end date of the contract: 31/05/2026

Project TOTAL duration – 26 months

Coordinator: BEIA CONSULT INTERNATIONAL

Project manager (coordinator): Eng. Gheorghe Suciu (george.suciu@beiaconsult.ro, 16 Peroni St., Bucharest, Romania, Tel: +40744517799)

Project financed by UEFISCDI through the European and International Cooperation Program

Abstract:

Advanced Panel-Level Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance for Optimized Solar Plant Efficiency

Current solar power plants face challenges due to string-based monitoring systems, often overlooking critical panel-level defects. Existing monitoring methods limit precise defect identification, resulting in compromised data integrity and inefficient power output predictions. ZERODEFECT4PV offers a streamlined approach with prototype sensors, named Data Collection Units (DCUs), deployed on individual panels or clusters and linked via a mesh network for optimal panel-level monitoring. This master slave architecture ensures seamless data transfer to the Energy Operations Center (EOC) and other analytic and storage components. Features, including a mathematical “toolbox”, address data inconsistencies, promoting accurate forecasting. These innovations culminate in an assistant system designed to guide operators through large data volumes, offering actionable KPI-driven insights within the EOC environment.

Phases and activities:

Phase 1. Requirements definition and data acquisition infrastructure design(reporting date 31/12/2024)

The implementation of these activities aims to define the technical and functional requirements for the implementation of the hardware and software systems necessary for the initial pilot Beia building, together with the design of the sensor system and the communication network required for the development of the pilot solution at the national level within the ZERODEFECT4PV project.

Activity 1.1. Definition of technical and functional requirements(correlated with T2.1, T2.2, T2.3, in the international project)

The results of this activity are represented by the description of the use case related to the initial pilot of the Beia building, the components necessary to implement the pilot solution, and the technical and functional requirements.

Activity 1.2.Sensor system and communication network design(correlated with T3.1, T3.2, T3.3, in the international project)

The definition and design of the sensor system architecture and communication network of the data through radio and MQTT, based on the SolarEdge photovoltaic system and the ADCON weather station, represent this activity’s results.

Architecture of the ZERODEFECT4PV project

Radio and MQTT data transmission system architecture

Events:

InnopRo – Innovation Pathways Romania 2024: Participation in the Innopro 2024 event from October 31 – November 1, 2024 was an excellent opportunity to disseminate the ZERODEFECT4PV project.

InnopRo – Innovation Pathways Romania 2024

GoTech World 2024: Participation in the GoTech World 2024 event from November 12-13 helped to promote and present the benefits of the ZERODEFECT4PV project to the broadest audience open to innovation. The event occurred on November 12-13, 2024, at Romexpo in Bucharest, Romania.

GoTech World 2024

Phase 2. Algorithms definition,graphical user interface design, implementation and evaluation of the pilot solution(reporting date 31/12/2025)

The implementation of these activities consisted of defining predictive maintenance algorithms and data processing hardware modules for the initial BEIA pilot building, along with the design of the data visualization interface necessary for implementing the pilot solution in the ZERODEFECT4PV project and evaluating its performance.

Activity 2.1. Definition of algorithms and modules for data processing (correlated with T4.1, T4.2, T4.3, T4.4)

The results of this activity are represented by the review of the use case for the initial BEIA pilot building, by defining statistical techniques for predicting defects, and by the hardware modules for processing the data necessary to implement the pilot solution.

Activity 2.2.Design of the data visualization interface(correlated with T4.5)

This activity involved designing a data visualization interface for monitoring the production and power consumption of the SolarEdge photovoltaic system and weather data from the ADCON station using the Grafana platform.

Activity 2.3.Implementation of the pilot solution and evaluation of its performance (correlated to T5.1, T5.3, T5.4)

The results of this activity consisted of implementing the pilot solution for the BEIA building by acquiring and transmitting data from the SolarEdge SE-GSM-R12-US-S1 module and the ADCON A850 gateway via the MQTT broker. The performance of the pilot solution for the initial building was also evaluated using a sample of data from the SolarEdge photovoltaic system, covering the total AC output power and the total grid power consumed between September 2021 and June 2025.

Total AC output power – photovoltaic system (September 2021 – June 2025)

Total power consumed from the grid (September 2021- June 2025)

Phase 3. Market analysis, definition of business models, coordination, collaboration and dissemination of results(reporting date 17/03/2026)

Activity 3.1. Market analysis, definition of business models, coordination, collaboration and dissemination of results (correlated with T6.1, T6.2, T6.4)

Activity 3.2.Coordination, cooperation and dissemination(correlated with T1.1, T1.2, T1.3, T1.4, T6.3)

Events:

Poli International Fest 2025: At its first edition, POLI International FEST – Bridging Cultures through Engineering Education brought together international organizations, multinational companies, embassies, students, and high school students to celebrate cultural diversity and innovation in engineering education. The event took place on March 5-6, 2025 in Bucharest, Romania.

Poli International Fest 2025

Poli BioFEST 2025: BEIA Consult Intl. participated in Poli BioFest 2025 event on 13-16th of March in Bucharest, Romania and had the opportunity to present and communicate the ZERODEFECT4PV project and its benefits.

Poli BioFEST 2025

Poli Energy Fest 2025: BEIA Consult proudly participated in Poli Energy Fest, which took place on March 21-22, 2025, in Bucharest, Romania. During the event, our company had the privilege of presenting the ZERODEFECT4PV project, highlighting its groundbreaking approach to enhancing the efficiency, reliability, and longevity of photovoltaic (PV) systems.

Poli Energy Fest 2025

GREEN ENERGY EXPO & ROMENVIROTEC 2025: BEIA Consult International participated on 9-11 April 2025 in GREEN ENERGY EXPO & ROMENVIROTEC at ROMEXPO, Bucharest. At our booth we showcased the ZERODEFECT4PV project, aimed at promoting sustainability, energy efficiency, and green technologies.

GREEN ENERGY EXPO & ROMENVIROTEC 2025

CPEPOWERENG, 19th International Conference on Compatibility, Power Electronics and Power Engineering: Participation with paper “Review of AI Methods for Fault Diagnosis and Predictive Maintenance in Solar Panels”.

CPEPOWERENG, 19th International Conference on Compatibility, Power Electronics and Power Engineering

Presentation of ZERODEFECT4PV project in ERA-Net Smart Energy Systems: On May 25, 2025, the ZERODEFECT4PV project – Advanced Panel-Level Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance for Optimized Solar Plant Efficiency was presented within the ERA-Net Smart Energy Systems – Shaping the TRI5 Knowledge Community.

ZERODEFECT4PV project in ERA-Net Smart Energy Systems

Participation in nZEB & Tech Week 2025: BEIA proudly participated in nZEB & Tech Week 2025, held on June 14–15 in Bucharest, Romania. It was a great opportunity to communicate the ZERODEFECT4PV project.

nZEB & Tech Week 2025

Participation in Online Knowledge Community Working Group Meeting & P2P Sessions 2025: On 25 June 2025 BEIA presented the ZERODEFECT4PV project and its benefits in Online Knowledge Community Working Group Meeting & P2P Sessions 2025.

Online Knowledge Community Working Group Meeting & P2P Sessions 2025

The ZERODEFECT4PV Project was presented at TETRAFEST – The Technology Transfer Festival, held from October 9–11, 2025. The event brought together industry leaders, innovation providers, and technology organizations, creating a dynamic platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange.

TETRAFEST – The Technology Transfer Festival

The ZERODEFECT4PV Project was presented and disseminated during ELECTROFEST 2025, which took place on October 22–23, 2025, at the University Politehnica of Bucharest.

ELECTROFEST 2025

The BEIA team participated in the CETP-TRI5 and ERA-NET JPP SES Knowledge Community Co-Creation Workshop – Scaling Project Impacts, an online event organized by the CETP TRI5 Knowledge Community on October 24, 2025. During the workshop, the team presented the ZERODEFECT4PV Project.