[{"command":"add_css","data":[{"rel":"stylesheet","media":"all","href":"\/sites\/default\/files\/css\/css_-kTcRwkqPhQLsqEvdSSyU2XZ3CV5VEleXoE3_xZi2cg.css?delta=0\u0026language=it\u0026theme=hm_theme\u0026include=eJxLzi9K1U8pKi1IzNErSa0oSSxKTdQtSi3OrEoFAJQ3Cqw"}]},{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/it\/article\/modal\/15063\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n      1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n      2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n      3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n        \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n  \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea resize-vertical ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ESun, salt, sand: how Malta became a testing ground for solar power\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith around 3\u0026nbsp;000 hours of sunshine a year, Malta is ideally placed to harness the sun\u2019s energy.\u0026nbsp;But its scorching summers, salty sea air and occasional Saharan dust storms also make it one of Europe\u2019s toughest environments for solar panels.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Dr Brian Azzopardi, a renewable energy researcher from Malta, those challenging conditions present a unique opportunity. If solar panels can withstand the island\u2019s climate, they should perform well almost anywhere in Europe.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAzzopardi is the chair of the Foundation for Innovation and Research \u2013 Malta, an organisation he helped establish to bridge the gap between academic research and industry.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor the past three years, he has been leading an EU-funded research initiative called PROMISE that looked at\u0026nbsp;new ways to improve the monitoring, maintenance and reliability of photovoltaic (PV) systems in Malta, with potential lessons for the rest of Europe.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EMalta\u2019s solar expansion\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver the past decade, government grants and community schemes have helped solar power spread rapidly across the island, which is home to around 580\u0026nbsp;000 residents: a number that swells each summer with tourists.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSince around 2010, we\u2019ve gone from almost zero solar power uptake to around 20\u201322%,\u201d said Azzopardi.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs solar power has expanded, however, a new challenge has emerged. Faults in PV systems often go unnoticed until electricity production has already fallen. By that point, the damage to the panels may already be significant.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo catch problems earlier, the researchers developed\u0026nbsp;digital twins: digital replicas of real solar installations that allow different scenarios to be tested and potential faults to be identified before they affect the panels.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022text-center text-blue font-bold text-2xl w-full lg:w-1\/2 border-2 border-blue p-12 my-8 lg:m-12 lg:-ml-16 float-left\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Cspan class=\u0022text-5xl rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n  \u003Cp class=\u0022font-serif italic\u0022\u003EThese systems are being tested in very harsh conditions in Malta. If they survive here, they should survive anywhere in Europe.\u003C\/p\u003E\n  \u003Cfooter\u003E\n    \u003Ccite class=\u0022not-italic font-normal text-sm text-black\u0022\u003EDr Brian Azzopardi, PROMISE \u003C\/cite\u003E\n  \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey also developed AI tools that scan incoming data around the clock, flagging faults automatically rather than waiting for someone to notice a fall in performance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research also focused on developing the next generation of solar specialists. Malta\u2019s rapidly growing solar sector still lacks enough technicians and researchers with the expertise needed to keep systems operating efficiently.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy training people locally and sharing what they learn internationally, the team hopes Malta\u2019s experience can benefit the rest of Europe.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo achieve this, the researchers combined high-tech monitoring across 10\u0026nbsp;Living Labs \u2013\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ereal-world test sites \u2013 with new approaches to PV reliability, education and training, including international summer schools that attract students from around the world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EMaintenance matters\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESolar uptake, Azzopardi warned, is only half the story. \u201cYou see solar panels on rooftops, but whether they are working properly is still a question mark. Maintenance matters too.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMost solar systems in Malta are small and privately owned, so their owners cannot rely on large maintenance contracts or sophisticated monitoring systems.\u0026nbsp;Many assumed that once the panels were installed, little further attention would be needed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s true there are few moving parts, but maintenance is still needed. Bird droppings and environmental conditions such as shade from new buildings or damage to the panels can all affect performance,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers installed commercially available sensors to measure electricity production, sunlight, wind and temperature.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe data fed into monitoring software capable of predicting when maintenance was likely to be needed, allowing repairs to be planned before faults caused significant losses in performance. Along the way, the team built valuable expertise that can now be applied in future research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTechnically speaking, these systems are being tested in very harsh conditions in Malta,\u201d said Azzopardi. \u201cIf they survive here, they should survive anywhere in Europe.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ESharpening skills\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Living Labs became even more valuable once their data started feeding directly into the training schools, giving students hands-on experience with real solar installations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParticipants visited the sites and worked alongside researchers using advanced diagnostic techniques such as\u0026nbsp;electroluminescence testing, where electricity is fed back into a solar panel, causing the cells to emit faint infrared light invisible to the human eye.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESpecialised cameras then reveal tiny cracks and hidden defects that would otherwise remain undetected.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents also developed practical inspection skills, learning how to assess panels visually and document faults using photographs and structured inspection checklists, a straightforward process that can still identify a surprising number of problems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ELearning by playing\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETeaching these diverse skills effectively, however, is no simple task, said Melodie de l\u2019Epine, who leads research and innovation activities at the Becquerel Institute in France \u2013\u0026nbsp;a specialist PV research and consulting centre and a key member of the PROMISE team.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOperations and maintenance for photovoltaics is a huge subject,\u201d she said. To keep such a mixed group of trainees engaged, the team turned to games and role play.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022text-center text-blue font-bold text-2xl w-full lg:w-1\/2 border-2 border-blue p-12 my-8 lg:m-12 lg:-ml-16 float-left\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Cspan class=\u0022text-5xl rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n  \u003Cp class=\u0022font-serif italic\u0022\u003EWe need a strong, well-trained workforce that knows how to carry out maintenance and ensure longer system lifetimes.\u003C\/p\u003E\n  \u003Cfooter\u003E\n    \u003Ccite class=\u0022not-italic font-normal text-sm text-black\u0022\u003EMelodie de l\u2019Epine, PROMISE\u003C\/cite\u003E\n  \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn the real world, operations and maintenance isn\u2019t something you do in isolation. You\u2019re receiving data, analysing problems, discussing budgets with management, and coordinating with maintenance teams \u2013 so I thought, let\u2019s make them play the role,\u201d de l\u2019Epine said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers developed three board games, matching exercises and simulation challenges, including a Monopoly-style game in which students take on the role of a technician troubleshooting a solar installation. Each activity focuses on different skills, from diagnosing faults to managing maintenance budgets.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor younger audiences, they also created \u003Cem\u003EDance of the Photon\u003C\/em\u003E, a live performance in which dancers demonstrate how sunlight is converted into electricity inside a solar cell, bringing an invisible process vividly to life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe lessons could prove valuable far beyond Malta. Small-scale installations account for around half of Europe\u2019s total PV capacity, and many face exactly the same maintenance challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ETraining the fixers\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDeveloping smarter technology is only part of the challenge. Ensuring there are enough people with the skills to install, monitor and maintain solar systems will be just as important if Europe is to make the most of its growing investment in renewable energy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe need a strong, well-trained workforce that knows how to carry out maintenance and ensure longer system lifetimes,\u201d said de l\u2019Epine. \u201cThis requires a lot of training, but also for individual owners to acknowledge that maintenance is something they need to invest in.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research has shown that improving solar power is about much more than installing new panels. For Malta, one of Europe\u2019s sunniest countries, harsh conditions have become an unexpected advantage.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy testing technologies in some of Europe\u2019s most demanding environments, the researchers are helping to develop solutions that could keep solar panels performing reliably across the continent for years to come.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearch in this article was funded by the EU\u2019s Horizon Programme. The views of the interviewees don\u2019t necessarily reflect those of the European Commission. 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