How to properly carry out Solar Maintenance?

Solar energy has seen extraordinary growth in recent years, and expectations of improvements, efficiencies, and a general reduction in the Levelized cost of energy (LCoE) are becoming more pronounced. Simultaneously, the extensive digitalization of modern solar photovoltaic (PV) plants has dramatically increased the amount of data available to operators; this newly discovered source of operational data opens the door to a new generation of digital tools that can help add value and reduce costs. Solar predictive maintenance is one of the tools that is expected to have a significant impact on the operation and maintenance (O&M) of PV plants.

Current maintenance practices are divided into two categories: preventive and corrective. The former relies on component manufacturer guidelines to define the frequency and type of tasks performed, whereas the latter focuses on unexpected events that necessitate immediate maintenance and repair interventions in order to minimize revenue loss. A predictive maintenance policy, as opposed to preventive and corrective maintenance, uses monitoring data and artificial intelligence to create a baseline model of plant operation under normal conditions and provide an informed estimate of potential future failure events. Because of its failure prediction capabilities, predictive maintenance can assist in anticipating and optimizing the necessary preventive and corrective actions, resulting in increased plant availability and performance.

Solar preventive maintenance is a proactive maintenance strategy that entails regular and routine maintenance of equipment to reduce the likelihood of failure and unplanned downtime. A preventive approach increases the availability and operational output of equipment and machinery through scheduled cleaning, repairs, adjustments, and part replacements. 

Solar preventive maintenance focuses on regularly testing electrical connections, controlling the status of the panel's fixations, and ensuring that the solar panels are in good general condition. Solar panel manufacturers specify how to inspect a solar installation, and large-scale power plants dedicate a team to these inspections to avoid failure. If any of these tests reveal problems or cause concern, corrective actions will be taken.

Without routine maintenance, the likelihood of a larger issue arising in the solar panel increases, which could have a significant impact on overall production or system safety.