Hybrid Fuzzy Convolutional Neural Networks for Photovoltaic Panel Anomaly Detection and Energy Optimization

Abstract

Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are fundamental tools for image analysis and recognition in monitoring systems, particularly in photovoltaic (PV) installations, where visual inspection and thermal imaging play crucial roles in anomaly detection and energy optimization. This publication presents a Hybrid Fuzzy Convolutional Neural Network (HFCNN) that integrates a fuzzy dense layer utilizing Ordered Fuzzy Numbers (OFNs) into the CNN architecture. The architecture is additionally validated on the public ELPV benchmark of 2624 electroluminescence images of photovoltaic cells, where the HFCNN with Mean of Maxima defuzzification attains classification quality statistically indistinguishable from a CNN baseline while using a four times smaller dense layer and training two to three times faster. The methodology combines the feature extraction capabilities of traditional CNNs with the uncertainty handling properties of fuzzy logic. Experiments using the MNIST dataset demonstrate that HFCNN with Mean of Maxima (MOM) defuzzification achieves comparable accuracy to standard CNNs while using significantly fewer parameters (75% reduction in the dense layer). This efficiency gain is advantageous for deployment on edge computing devices. This work constitutes a methodological contribution—establishing, for the first time, the feasibility of integrating Ordered Fuzzy Numbers into CNN architectures without requiring expert membership function design. While the current study validates this approach on MNIST, actual photovoltaic applications require dedicated future research on real PV thermal imagery. Nevertheless, the proposed HFCNN framework could potentially support practical photovoltaic energy system applications in detecting panel degradation, performance anomalies, and autonomous decision-making in large-scale PV installations.