Artificial intelligence models can be used during the solar pre-construction planning and design process, as well as afterwards to help with monitoring, weather forecasting, predictive maintenance and more.
Image: flickr
The energy sector is generally considered to be fairly conservative when it comes to adopting new trends and technologies. After all, much of the energy we consume still comes from sources that have been used for hundreds of years — oil, coal, and natural gas.
However, in the recent push for sustainability in the energy sector, one technology emerges as a linchpin for the shift towards “green living”: artificial intelligence.
How AI will disrupt the energy industry for the better
Artificial intelligence seems poised to revolutionize the energy sector thanks to its superior data analysis capabilities. Data analysis is a fundamental aspect of any energy operation — from determining where the best sites for development are to how much energy has been consumed for billing. AI can perform all of this analysis at a much more efficient rate than human workers, allowing them to focus more of their efforts on implementing these solutions.
Artificial intelligence can also use the data it is fed to perform advanced predictive analytics. In the energy industry, this could prove invaluable, as the ability to better forecast consumption can allow energy companies to avoid the overuse of resources. Furthermore, as renewable energy resources have historically been somewhat unreliable due to their dependence on external factors such as weather, predictive analytics now powered by AI can allow energy companies to ease some of their concerns about the volatility of these renewable sources.
Using these tools, artificial intelligence could improve the sustainability of the energy sector by enabling the more efficient deployment of resources. Energy companies can both reduce waste and cut costs using analysis and forecasting generated by AI.
The most apparent use of artificial intelligence in the energy sector is “smart meters,” which help users better control their energy consumption and energy providers better understand and manage their load. Smart meters help the energy provider’s sustainability initiatives by reducing overall energy consumption, which will also benefit customers’ wallets.
Something that must be understood about the shift towards renewable energy sources is that, as more renewable energy sources are introduced, it makes the grid more complex to handle this increasing number and diversity of sources. In turn, more technology is needed to manage it. This is where artificial intelligence emerges as a particularly valuable innovation in the solar power industry — as a tool to help manage the distribution of resources on the grid.
AI in the solar industry
Some more specific applications in the solar power sector show even higher potential. As solar developers continue to expand some reach, some exciting use cases for AI technologies include:
The adoption of AI in the energy sector
AI can potentially revolutionize the energy industry with its advanced data analysis and predictive analytics capabilities. At this point, it is a matter of convincing the energy companies of the validity and necessity of these use cases.
By better understanding our consumption and needs, the energy sector can be better prepared to adopt renewable energy sources such as solar power. Artificial intelligence is the key to unlocking this deeper insight.
Ed Watal is an AI thought leader and technology investor. One of his key projects includes BigParser (an Ethical AI Platform and Data Commons for the World). He is also the founder of Intellibus, an INC 5000 “Top 100 Fastest Growing Software Firm” in the USA, and the lead faculty of AI Masterclass, a joint operation between NYU SPS and Intellibus. Forbes Books is collaborating with Ed on a seminal book on our AI Future.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
Please be mindful of our community standards.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment.
Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website. Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so.
You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. Otherwise, your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled.
Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy.
pv magazine USA offers daily updates of the latest photovoltaics news. We also offer comprehensive global coverage of the most important solar markets worldwide. Select one or more editions for targeted, up to date information delivered straight to your inbox.
Legal Notice Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy © pv magazine 2024
Welcome to pv magazine USA. This site uses cookies. Read our policy.
The cookie settings on this website are set to “allow cookies” to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click “Accept” below then you are consenting to this.
Close