Operations & Maintenance

In the first of PV Tech Premium’s big interviews, we speak to PVcase founder and CEO David Trainavicius about data risk in solar management.

Solargis' latest figures for solar irradiance in India show that increased pollution has contributed to falling solar power output.

The rapid emergence of new PV technologies such as bifacial has in some cases outpaced the evolution of suitable technical and regulatory specifications.

Digitalisation offers PV plant operators the opportunity to shift from preventive to predictive maintenance practices. Eduardo Sarquis reports on research aimed at shedding further light on the system performance benefits of moving to a predictive O&M strategy.

BayWa r.e. has launched Ampero, a “new fintech company” that aims to use artificial intelligence to aid in the management of renewable assets.

Spanish utility Iberdrola has signed a strategic collaboration agreement with management of industrial and commercial waste company FCC Ámbito to promote the industrial-scale recycling of solar PV panels.

US solar analyst Raptor Maps has found that asset underperformance and equipment issues cost the global solar sector US$4.6 billion in 2023.

James Elsworth of the NREL in the US looks at some of the engineering methods for bolstering PV infrastructure resilience in the face of ever increasing climatic and environmental threats.

Aside from the immediate, visible damage, extreme weather events have a longer lasting impact on PV systems. NREL’s Dirk C. Jordan, Kirsten Perry, Robert White, Josh Parker, Byron McDanold and Chris Deline report on research revealing the long-term consequences of hail, wind and other weather phenomena on PV production.

The streamlining of all phases of a PV project will be essential to ensuring anticipated deployment goals are met. Tom Kenning looks at the AI-enabled technologies helping speed up project construction and easing a shortage of skilled labour.