From 17 to 18 February 2026, professionals from operations and maintenance, asset management, and engineering, procurement, and construction gathered for SolarPower Europe’s annual Solar Quality Summit Europe, co-organised with Intersolar. The event brings together experts from across the solar industry with the goal of improving the long-term quality, reliability, and performance of solar projects throughout Europe. This year, the conference focused on the role of artificial intelligence in solar PV operations and explored the many opportunities AI presents for enhancing project quality throughout their entire lifecycle.
The conference began with an opening address by Dr. Florian Wessendorf, Managing Director at Solar Promotion GmbH International. He emphasized that the summit was designed to provide a platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas and insights that strengthen the resilience and long-term performance of solar projects in Europe and beyond. His remarks set the tone for an event centered on collaboration and innovation in the solar industry.
The first session, titled ‘Smarter Solar, Stronger Systems: How AI Delivers on Quality?’, featured Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe. She highlighted the growing challenges faced by the European solar industry and underscored the importance of quality, reliability, and performance in solar projects. According to her, artificial intelligence is a tool that can help the sector meet these demands, offering practical solutions for maintaining high standards in both ongoing and new projects.
In the afternoon, Thérèse O Donoghue, Press and Communications Advisor at SolarPower Europe, moderated a panel discussion with Miguel Herrero, Senior Market Advisor at PVcase; Andrew Morse, Technical Adviser at Straylight Ventures; and Lennart van Walsum, Director Europe, Middle East, India, Africa, and Americas at the Global Solar Council. During the discussion, Miguel Herrero highlighted the role of AI in design processes, stating that the SUPERNOVA project is exploring the reuse of design files and promoting designs that are compatible with robotic construction, demonstrating the practical applications of AI in improving solar project efficiency.
The first day concluded with the launch of the Technical Due Diligence Best Practice Guidelines by Niki Fodor, Project Officer at SolarPower Europe. This report presents the first unified framework in the industry for assessing hybrid utility-scale solar and battery storage projects. It provides guidance on evaluating technical, legal, environmental, and financial viability, as well as bankability, from initial planning through every stage of the project. Niki Fodor emphasized that the report not only sets high technical standards but also reflects the collaborative nature of the solar industry and the contributions of experts from across the sector.
The second day of the conference began with two parallel sessions. The first, ‘The Hidden Costs of Small Failures: Designing Reliability at the Component Level,’ focused on ways to improve system reliability by addressing minor failures before they escalate. The second, ‘Inverter Reliability & Performance Protection,’ examined methods for ensuring inverter compliance with cybersecurity regulations, while maintaining cost-effectiveness and supply chain efficiency. These sessions highlighted the practical challenges of maintaining high-quality solar systems and the importance of careful planning and monitoring.
Following the morning sessions, the SUPERNOVA project hosted its third workshop on ‘Next-Generation Forecasting: AI-Driven Solar & Grid Predictions.’ Grazia Barchi from Eurac Research explained that accurate forecasting is key to reducing curtailment and activating system flexibility. She emphasized that AI and data can transform forecasting into a strategic tool that improves the overall performance of solar and grid operations. On the first day, SUPERNOVA had also organized discussions on ‘AI Agents in PV Plant-Integrated Monitoring Systems’ and ‘Predictive Maintenance in Action,’ demonstrating the project’s commitment to establishing high-performance standards and quality in solar PV projects under the Horizon Europe program.
Later in the day, Antonio Arruebo Lacleta, Senior Market Analyst at SolarPower Europe, moderated a session on upgrading solar and storage systems. He discussed how targeted interventions can transform existing solar and battery assets into high-performing, future-ready power plants. Antonio highlighted that the current solar fleet already has substantial capacity, and thoughtful upgrades can significantly improve efficiency, reliability, and long-term performance.
After lunch, Calin Sas, Solar Reliability Engineer at Sunrock, launched the EPC Best Practice Guidelines Version 3.0. The third edition of this report provides detailed guidance for improving the quality of large-scale hybrid solar PV and battery storage systems. Calin stressed that maintaining high quality is an ongoing process, and the updated guidelines can help strengthen hybrid operations and services to ensure consistent performance.
The conference concluded with remarks from Gofran Chowdhury, Head of Innovation at 3E, who reflected on the role of AI in solar PV and battery systems. He highlighted the importance of digitalization and high-quality data, noting that these are critical factors in achieving reliable and high-performing systems. The organizers expressed gratitude to co-organizer Intersolar and Spanish partners UNEF, the Spanish Solar Association, as well as all sponsors for their support. A key takeaway from the summit was the importance of accurate and high-quality data in ensuring reliable and efficient solar PV and battery plants. The event concluded with anticipation for next year, continuing the conversation around solar quality and innovation in Europe’s renewable energy sector.
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