One of the essential routines in solar plant maintenance is inspecting the facilities to ensure they operate correctly. This procedure is carried out manually and, in addition to accounting for 70% of operational costs, exposes technicians to risks associated with high voltages, extreme temperatures, and challenging terrain.
“I was surprised at how outdated the operation and maintenance process in photovoltaics was,” explains Bhishma Hernández.
The Spanish startup Clever Solar Devices, based in a small village in Soria, has developed a credit card-sized device capable of predicting and diagnosing faults in solar panels automatically and in real time. This hardware measures key parameters such as the IV curve and uses artificial intelligence to analyze data, reducing maintenance costs by 70% and improving production by 15%.
Founded in 2019, the company collaborates with major firms like Repsol and Ferrovial and began its commercialization in 2024 in European countries such as Spain, Italy, Greece, and France, achieving a turnover of €100,000. Despite being headquartered in a village with only 22 inhabitants, Clever Solar Devices prioritizes innovation and local production in the Basque Country, avoiding outsourcing outside Europe.
The company is now focused on scaling commercially, increasing automation, and expanding into large-scale solar plants both nationally and internationally. Its goal is to predict and prevent future faults to maximize the profitability of photovoltaic installations.
