All you need to know about Solar O&M

Whether you set up a factory, restaurant or a solar plant, operations and management are an integral part of the whole set up. How much money you spend on the facility/plant post its installation completely depends on the operations and management (O&M) of the place. A good O&M practice will ensure seamless functioning of the plant and in the case of a solar plant will ensure that it generates more than the predicted capacity and earns more profits too. Solar is the future of energy and the more tighter and stringent O&M practices we put in today, the better are the chances of people opting for this renewable energy source in the coming years. 

As the number of installations continue to grow, with India inching closer to its solar energy goals, there will also be a higher demand for O&M services and more money spent on it. While installing solar panels is and will always continue to be a great way to save money, to make optimal use of it, maintenance will always be key. 

Let’s look at why O&M is important and what all it entails. 

Simply put, O&M ensures longer durability, higher output and cost-effective practices if done correctly. It includes, identifying a problem and resolving it, reducing the time taken to resolve the issue and a complete analysis and study of the issue, so as not to let it repeat in the future. 

The most basic O&M practice in the solar industry include: 

Regular Cleaning:  For all the panels to work efficiently and absorb the solar energy at optimal levels it is essential that the panels be dust free. The inverters, too, need to be cleaned from time to time. 

Inspection of site: Without knowing or understanding the root cause of a problem, it cannot be solved. Timely scheduled site inspections, allow for your O&M team to understand where the actual problem is and then rectify it at the earliest. Annual, quarterly or bi-monthly inspections, as pre-decided allow for the problems and issues arising to be solved before they get out of control. 

Removal and replacement of faulty equipment: It is during site inspection and data analysis of the said plant that your O&M can ascertain if you need any equipment to be replaced. Faulty equipment will cost you optimal functioning and increase your plant costs as well in the long run. 

Remote Monitoring of plant: Several O&M partners employ certain softwares to better track your plant’s output and to help you better the production. Vivaan Solar for example uses the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) software that allows it to monitor the functioning of your solar plant from anywhere. This enables them to know the real time data from anywhere anytime, procure a detailed analysis to understand if power generated is as expected and designed, better understand the issues on-field with equipment and manage them with effective O&M. Last but not the least, it also allows Vivaan to predict the power generation with certainty, helping them plan ahead of time and give a fair estimate of costs and income to the plant owners as well.

The best part about a solar power plant is that it requires minimal maintenance, if you simply follow the basics. Ensuring that the panels are cleaned atleast once every six months and getting someone in to check them once a year is usually enough. With companies like Vivaan Solar, who do remote tracking, they can come whenever there is an issue and not even have to come annually unless necessary. 

Moreover, in addition to the bi-annual cleaning, a good way to figure out if your panels need maintenance is to observe your energy level output. If they fluctuate or are less than what you usually receive it might be time to clean them or check the inverters, batteries and other equipment running the plant.  

Why is O&M important?

The straightforward and simple answer to this is that, O&M helps your plant run seamlessly and ensures that you get the most out of your investment. It also helps you optimize asset management, stay safe and figure out what adjustments to increase output or even your profits. The bigger your plant is the more beneficial is a strict and tight O&M process as even a small delay or reduction in output can incur huge losses. 

How you manage the O&M of your plant today, will determine its efficiency and durability in the long run. Proper tracking of the output which falls under operations will also help keep a tab on potential risks and ensure that you have a worry free solar experience.

How to correctly pick an O&M partner?

When you are trying to pick an O&M partner you don’t just need someone who knows everything there is to know about solar but also someone who is proactive and detects the problem before it surfaces. You also need someone who is able to give you the best of options for you to get the optimal output from your plant and do so with your interests at its core. Companies like Vivaan Solar, who employ SCADA services exhibit a great deal of proactiveness because not only are they maintaining your plant in real-time but are also ensuring that there is a great deal of transparency with their system giving you updates directly to your phone. 

A company that offers real-time monitoring, data analysis, quick resolution and proactive problem solving is the best choice for O&M services for any solar plant. 

If you have any questions regarding O&M services or are looking for someone to help you with the O&M for your plant, Vivaan Solar might just be the perfect fit. 

Know what sets us apart and get in touch. We are just a message away- Vivaan Solar.