Gwangju-type AI-Digital Twin Technology for Solar Power Plant Installation

Building 3D Terrain Information Using Drones... AI for Design and Maintenance

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Digital twin technology (a virtual reality twin object of real-world objects) will be applied from remote exploration using drones for solar power plant installation to design and maintenance management.

On the 18th, Gwangju Metropolitan City held an energy self-reliant city promotion status and solar power installation plan briefing session, as well as a special lecture on ‘Gwangju-type Artificial Intelligence-Digital Twin’ technology at the city council’s main conference room. About 30 people participated, including Kim Gwang-ran, chairman of the City Council Green New Deal Special Committee, Jang Yeon-ju, vice chairman of the City Council Green New Deal Special Committee, experts, and citizens.

At the briefing and special lecture, plans were announced to install solar power generation facilities with a capacity of 7.4MW at 46 public idle sites in Gwangju city, as well as a 67.3MW solar power plant along a 37.66km section utilizing the soundproof tunnel of the 2nd Circular Road.

This solar power plant installation is expected to apply Gwangju-type AI-Digital Twin technology.

According to experts, existing digital twin technology only copies real-world objects identically into virtual space, but the ‘Gwangju-type Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Digital Twin’ technology enables everything from remote exploration using drones, virtual design and analysis of solar power facilities, to maintenance through AI deep learning technology.

As drones fly over Gwangju’s airspace collecting terrain information in real time and transmit the data to the AI-based ‘Solar Panel Inspection Platform,’ the AI creates a 3D stereoscopic map and analyzes thermal imaging information, annual solar radiation, and power generation.

By utilizing the analyzed information such as power generation, it is easy to identify the optimal locations and installable areas for new solar power facilities on idle land and building rooftops. The AI also autonomously analyzes real-time data through deep learning to inspect whether the existing solar panels are operating normally.

When a power plant is virtually designed on the stereoscopic map, AI analyzes investment costs and power generation revenue, reducing the promotion period and costs of the solar power distribution project.

The collected and analyzed stereoscopic terrain information can be used in various fields beyond solar power installation, including air quality management such as fine dust and disaster prevention.

After the explanation, participants directly visited the site of the 2nd Circular Road to compare the drone-analyzed data with the actual site conditions and reviewed the solar power plant promotion plan.

Son Gyeong-jong, director of the City’s Artificial Intelligence Industry Bureau, said, “Gwangju’s Green New Deal is differentiated from other regions’ Green New Deals by promoting it in connection with our city’s strength, artificial intelligence,” adding, “We will make it a domestic and international model case by utilizing AI and big data to reduce time and costs in the process of implementing energy self-reliance policies.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.