Breakthroughs in AI are poised to trigger a “paradigm shift” in solar asset management, where intricate analytics and plant performance procedures will be streamlined to the extent that conversing with a chatbot will suffice.

This forecast comes from Govinda Upadhyay, the CEO of SmartHelio, a Switzerland-headquartered company that provides various AI-driven tools for assessing the performance of PV plants.

During an interview with PV Tech Premium released today, Upadhyay disclosed information about a new extensive language model under development at his company named ‘Solar GPT’. This AI agent is designed to execute various tasks based on straightforward user commands, akin to generative AI platforms like ChatGPT.

Upadhyay expressed, “Our aim is to develop technology that will bring about a fundamental change in how we perceive renewable energy.”

Utilizing SmartHelio’s extensive databases housing vast operational data on PV power plants, Upadhyay mentioned that Solar GPT has the capability to offer in-depth analytical reports and recommend plant repowering strategies to developers aiming to optimize the efficiency of their assets.

Upadhyay noted, “Obtaining these responses for a 100MW plant would have previously required several months.”

According to Upadhyay, AI technology would eliminate the necessity for conventional digital interfaces and software platforms commonly employed in PV power plant management.

“I envision a world where we no longer rely on dashboards or extensive software,” he stated. “It will simply be interacting with one chatbot; a direct conversation with the AI agent.”