PV-Inspektion Norddeutschland: Ihr lokaler Thermografie-Spezialist

Charged Elements GmbH from Hamburg carries out thermographic PV inspections throughout northern Germany – from the Hamburg city centre to the Danish border, from the North Sea coast to southern Lower Saxony. This article explains our service area, the particular challenges of northern German PV systems and why regular inspections are especially indispensable here.

Unser Einsatzgebiet in Norddeutschland

Our main service area covers the Hamburg metropolitan region and the adjacent federal states of Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony and Bremen. For systems in this radius we are on site within 5–10 working days – without long waiting times or national providers who do not know the local conditions.

Nationwide deployments are possible and are regularly carried out. For systems outside northern Germany we calculate travel costs individually – our price calculator on the homepage zeigt auf Basis Ihrer Adresse sofort den Richtwert inkl. Fahrtkosten.

Northern German climate as a challenge for PV systems

Northern Germany subjects PV systems to specific stresses that operators in the south are barely familiar with. The combination of high humidity, salt air near the coast, frequent storms and the exposed position on flat roofs or in the marsh landscape creates a stress profile that leads to defects more quickly than comparable systems in Bavaria or Baden-Württemberg.

Korrosion durch Salzluft: Systems within a 10–50 km radius of the North Sea or Baltic coast are at risk from salt-laden air. Module frames, mounting structure and especially the connectors corrode more quickly. In the thermogram this shows as increased contact resistance at connections – a warm spot that remains undetected without inspection.

Sturm- und Hagelschäden: Northern Germany lies in the main track of North Atlantic low-pressure systems. Hail events are more frequent than in the south, and storm damage to module frames and fixings occurs regularly. After every major storm event an unplanned inspection is recommended.

PID-Risiko durch Feuchtigkeit: Potential-induced degradation (PID) is strongly promoted by high humidity. The northern German coast with its high relative humidity of often over 80% is a high-risk area for PID – especially for systems without equipotential bonding and older module generations.

Typical defects in northern German systems

Practice reveals a recurring pattern in inspections in northern Germany. Most frequently we find: Steckverbindungsdefekte from corrosion (especially in coastal systems), PID-Befallsmuster in den negativen Stringhälften, Hagelschaden-Mikrorisse which are invisible to the naked eye, Hotspots durch Vogelkot (gulls, starlings and herons leave aggressive deposits) and Feuchtigkeitseintritte in junction boxes from leaking cable entries.

The bird problem is particularly pronounced in northern Germany. Seagull droppings have a particularly high pH and are corrosive – they not only cause hotspots through partial shading but also attack the module surface in the long term. Thermographically such spots show as intensive local hotspots with ΔT of 30–60 K.

Thermografie in Hamburg

Hamburg is our home base. The city with its over 1,800 MW of installed PV capacity (as at 2025) has a particularly diverse system structure: Wilhelmine-era villas in Blankenese and Rahlstedt with rooftop systems, commercial flat roofs in Harburg and Hammerbrook, logistics centres in Billbrook and by the port, and increasingly carport systems on company sites.

Within the Hamburg city area and the immediate Hamburg surroundings (up to approx. 50 km) our pricing model means no or only minimal travel costs (first 15 km free, €1.00/km × round trip). For many Hamburg commercial systems the total price is thus identical to the base price of the chosen package.

Schleswig-Holstein: wind power and PV

Schleswig-Holstein has one of the highest PV densities in northern Germany – especially on commercial and agricultural roofs in the districts of Dithmarschen, Steinburg, Rendsburg-Eckernförde and the Kiel area. Many of these systems were installed between 2010 and 2014 and are now approaching the end of the first manufacturer warranties.

Especially for systems near the coast – Husum, Heide, Eckernförde, Flensburg – we recommend a tighter inspection cycle than the standard VdS recommendation of two years, due to the elevated PID and corrosion risk. Our service radius covers the entire federal state.

Niedersachsen und Bremen

In Lower Saxony we focus on the northern part of the state: the Hanover region, Lüneburg, Stade, Cuxhaven and the greater Bremen and Bremerhaven area. For locations in East Frisia and the Emsland we prepare individual quotes – the distance is easily plannable due to the flat topography.

Lower Saxony has a particularly large number of agri-PV systems on cow barns, pig sties and grain storage buildings. These systems are particularly at risk from ammonia fumes and mechanical stresses from seeds and straw. Thermographically hotspots from contamination and accelerated corrosion are frequently found here.

Travel costs and price transparency

We calculate travel costs using a simple principle: the first 15 km from Hamburg (Breite Str. 159, 22767 Hamburg) are free of charge. Beyond that we charge €1.00 per kilometre for the round trip. The distance is determined by route calculation – no flat rates, no hidden costs.

Our price calculator on the homepage calculates the total price immediately: enter system size, choose package, enter address – done. For a 100 kWp system in Kiel (approx. 95 km), for example, approximately €72 in travel costs would be added to the base price.

Ablauf einer Inspektion vor Ort

After your enquiry you will receive an appointment proposal within 24 hours. We coordinate the optimal weather window (at least 600 W/m² irradiance required) and, where necessary, take care of any flight permits for drone operations in controlled airspace.

The on-site appointment itself runs entirely during live system operation – no shutdown, no yield loss. For the Basic package the deployment for a 100 kWp system is typically completed in half to a full working day. You receive the standards-compliant IEC report within 5 working days.

Frequently asked questions