Best Practices in Operation and Performance Monitoring of Solar PV Plants

This course will provide a first-hand comprehensive discussion of the most relevant topics of the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of grid connected solar PV plants. Aspects like module cleaning, key performance indicators, required equipment, contracting or O&M costs will be highlighted focusing specifically on the challenges and best practices in order to ensure a clear understanding of what leads to a good or a bad maintenance.
The content of the course doesn´t only focuses on technical aspects, it illustrates also the interface between technical results and commercial or financial interpretations bringing asset managers and investors to a common ground. This allows an interdisciplinary and more accurate evaluation of technical issues with financial or commercial impact.
This course contains the knowhow of the PV expertise acquired over one decade of intensive activities in mature and nascent markets in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe.

Module 1. 1. Risks and challenges in the development and execution of PV projects
2. Objectives and requirements for a correct execution of the O&M
3. Preventive maintenance
4. Corrective maintenance
5. Predictive maintenance
6. Typical distribution of failures in PV plants

Module 2
1. Key performance indicators in PV plants
2. O&M Reports
3. O&M cost distribution
4. Creation of O&M contracts
5. Case studies
a. 70MW - Chile – single axis tracking
b. 125 MW- India – ground mounted