
AI Alerts Shade from Weed Overgrowth, Reducing Power Loss
LINET
Commercial Rooftop Solar | Japan
Linet Co., Ltd. is a Japanese renewable energy company focused on large-scale solar plants, rooftop systems for corporate self-consumption, and grid-scale storage solutions. To date, Linet has developed over 400 MW of solar capacity, many of which use the PHOTON system for real-time monitoring, data management, and performance tracking.
Anomaly Detected: AI Shade Alert
Investigation: From Data to Site
The alert was traced to a few inverters that consistently showed early-morning performance drops. Using system-uploaded layout diagrams and site photos, the team pinpointed the issue to modules along the southern edge of the plant — confirming noticeable power loss due to shading.
Hypothesis & Validation
Considering the plant's southern-facing orientation and Japan’s southeast sunrise angle, the team hypothesized that weed overgrowth was causing shading. This was confirmed by on-site photos provided by Linet. Within two weeks, the maintenance team cleared the vegetation, resolving the issue.
“We were surprised by how quickly the weeds had grown. Thanks to PHOTON’s early alert, we avoided a significant energy loss.”