A comprehensive overview of PV systems.

Today, the installed power capacity of PV systems/installations worldwide exceeds 770 GWp, while by 2023 it is expected to reach the 1 TWp milestone. Typical PV systems have a 20- or 25-year service lifetime, during which high performance and reliability are key requirements to ensure maximum PV energy yield and guarantee the expected return-on-investment (ROI).

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Context and Motivation: Today, the installed power capacity of PV systems/installations worldwide exceeds 770 GWp, while by 2023 it is expected to reach the 1 TWp milestone. Typical PV systems have a 20- or 25-year service lifetime, during which high performance and reliability are key requirements to ensure maximum PV energy yield and guarantee the expected return-on-investment (ROI). In this context, PV Operations and Maintenance (O&M) has become a standalone segment within the solar PV industry. It is widely acknowledged by all stakeholders that streamlined O&M and quality assurance services improve the PV systems’ performance and reliability; and, eventually, can have a positive impact on the bankability of PV installations, by reducing the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) and the ROI, while mitigating potential techno-economic risks throughout the lifecycle of PV projects.

A recent study of over 600 PV plants indicates that over 30% of utility-scale PV plants are underperforming. The development and deployment of novel methods for more efficient O&M, in order to detect and isolate such underperformance issues is of utmost priority for the PV industry, especially the PV plant developers, considering the financial implications of underperforming PV plants. Indicatively, an average of 10% losses in power output (e.g. due to soiling in certain locations) and a performance ratio (PR) lower by just a 1-2%, can imply financial losses of up to €1.5 million per year, for average medium/large sized PV plant portfolios.

Such high technical/economic importance of PV systems’ performance, reliability and O&M are also reflected today in a very active field of research, development and innovation (RDI), both at Industrial and at Research/Academic level. In parallel, new RDI challenges (and, thus, opportunities) emerge the last few years, with the increasing importance of two overarching topics in PV industry and O&M agenda: the circular economy (sustainability, in overall) and the digitalization.

The course: The content of this course provides a comprehensive overview of the theoretical elements, key concepts, best practices and technical challenges related to the performance, reliability and O&M of PV systems. In Part 1, a particular focus is given on the better understanding and insights into: i) PV performance indicators, monitoring and forecasting methods and safety on the operational side and ii) PV reliability and underperformance issues in the field, diagnostics/inspections and preventive/corrective actions on the maintenance side. Part 1 closes with a presentation and discussion on recent technological advances and opportunities of the PV research community and industry in (and towards) the Industry 4.0 and Circular Economy eras. The part 2 of this course comprises of a practical example/case study, focusing on hands-on understanding of actual performance and reliability aspects in real-life operating PV plants. In this case, the return of experience from PV systems inspections will be presented, in an interactive way with (open questions from/to) the attendees of this course.

The content of this course is addressed to a multidisciplinary audience: undergraduate and postgraduate students, young researchers, as well as professionals (engineers, technicians) relevant to and interested in renewable energy systems and particularly solar PV technology, systems and applications.

Contents:

Part 1

• Introduction – Basic elements
• O&M and Performance of PV systems
  • Performance indicators
  • Monitoring and Forecasting
  • Safety considerations
• O&M and Reliability of PV systems
  • Losses and Failure Mechanisms
  • Maintenance actions and strategies
  • Characterization, diagnostic and inspection methods
• Emerging Challenges
  • Towards sustainability: PV in the Circular Economy era
  • Towards digitalization: PV in the Industry 4.0 era

Part 2: Return of experience from real PV system inspections (Case Study)