2014 PV Reliability, Operations & Maintenance Workshop: An O&M Perspective
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2014 PV Reliability, Operations & Maintenance Workshop: An O&M Perspective, May 7, 2014 Mike Anderson, Sun Systems Technology
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2014 PV Reliability, Operations & Maintenance Workshop: An O&M Perspective
- 1. © Copyright 2014, SunSystem Technology An O&M Perspective 2014 PV Reliability Operations & Maintenance Workshop May 7, 2014
- 2. Agenda • The US Market • O&M Maturation • O&M Objectives • A Perspective on Achieving Objectives • Q&A
- 3. US Market At-a-Glance • 4,751 MW of solar PV installed in 2013 – Up 41% over 2012 – More than 445,000 systems in operation • Q4 2013 was the largest quarter ever for PV installations in the U.S. – 2,106 MW energized, up 60% over the second-largest quarter (Q4 2012) – More solar has been installed in the U.S. in the last 20 months than in the 30 years prior • Solar accounted for 29% of all new electricity generation capacity in 2013, – Solar is the second-largest source of new generating capacity behind natural gas • GTM forecasts 26% PV installation growth in 2014 – Installations reaching nearly 6 GW across all segments – Most rapid growth will occur in the residential segment Source: GTM
- 5. O&M Objectives • Production optimization and uptime maximization for increased asset revenue • Risk reduction for asset owners and investors • Protection of asset value and longevity • Compliance with applicable regulatory bodies • Transparency on plant production, performance, issues, risks and O&M activities
- 6. Objective 1: Production Optimization • Analysis and assessment of system: – Understanding systems as built • Component inventory • Layout & design • Monitoring systems • Review of PPA and any performance guarantees • Assessment report – Validate the accuracy of metrics (Irradiance sensors, weather sensors, temperatures) – Validating and updating monitoring software – Identifying all hardware weaknesses • Environmental factors • Prescribe a plan that maps to the system as built – Each plan is unique – no two systems are built exactly the same – Boilerplate plans are inherently weak • With more systems than ever before, diversity across systems is the new norm
- 7. Objective 2: Risk Reduction • Proactive vs. Ad hoc or reactive service • Ad Hoc – Maximizes risk by not identifying or addressing mounting issues until they become a problem • Increases annual downtime • Negatively impacts achieving production goals and ROI • Proactive Service Plans – Minimizes risk through a custom plan matched to the system(s) • 24/7/365 monitoring by O&M professionals • Addresses issues/trends before they become problems and negatively impact production values and ROI – Address multiple items on a single call which keeps maintenance and repair costs down and maximizes uptime • Can lead to increased production values and improved ROI
- 8. Case & Point Case & Point - Commercial: Site: • Single-axis tracker • 6 Megawatts Issues: • Reactive management scenario wait for a failure and react • Recurring string failures • Inaccuracy of sensors Results: Through a custom proactive plan year-over-year production increased 9.37% and downtime was eliminated. – Minimized logistics associated with repair approvals coupled with increased attention on site led to much faster response times and reduced site visits – Eliminated downtime associated with string failures Reduced annual O&M expense and increased ROI
- 9. Objective 3: Protection & Preservation of Assets • Security: – Part of initial assessment and depending on location may require camera monitoring • Preventative maintenance: – Fundamental to preservation of assets • Demands a regimen tuned to the individual system and the immediate environment • Warranty requirements have bearing on maintenance requirements • Maturation feature • Monitoring: – Maintain calibration to ensure accuracy – Software upgrade schedules – Utilizing benchmarks from independent regional sensors – Comparative analysis of data • Historical performance comparisons • Like-system comparisons – Validating that performance is site specific or region specific • Environmental protection: – Shading inverters can result in increased efficiencies – Desert environments dust mitigation
- 10. Objective 4: Regulatory Compliance • Cal ISO is requiring utility-scale operators to provide production forecasts – O&M/asset managers are providing the analysis and the reports • System monitoring coupled with weather information from the NSRD (National Solar Resource Database) to provide reliable reports and meet compliance • Utility curtailments requiring system production to be reduced – As utility infrastructure is modified or serviced, O&M providers are called on to minimize downtime to what is actually required in a real-time scenario
- 11. Objective 5: Performance Transparency • Proprietary management information systems – Provide system/fleet owner a view into milestone progress • Ongoing system preventative maintenance • Required repair actions • Large-scale/batch warranty requirements – Performance guarantees • Providing system owner/managers real-time views and control relative to actual vs. required production • O&M records to show assets have been maintained and managed to perform optimally – Demonstrates proactive risk mitigation for current investors as well as future investors in the event the system(s) is/are sold • Fundamental to meeting due diligence in the sale of a system – Maximizes resale value of system
- 12. • Estimated 1.4 million systems by 2017 • Pure-play O&M is uniquely dedicated to life-cycle system care System Care Aggregation to O&M Companies
- 13. O&M Technician • Electrician • High-voltage power plant • IT Expert • Telemetry specialist • Software/Specialized hardware • Analytical skills for interpreting data and executing the necessary responses • Residential customer service – We serve as the face and the voice of our customer to the homeowner – Answering questions – Explaining performance and monitoring metrics
- 14. • As more systems fall under the control of pure-play O&M companies the solar industry and its customers benefit – Aggregation reduces cost per visit and creates economies of scale – Lowering annual O&M costs – Developing the information systems that drive transparency to system performance and ongoing care • Improve quality of care while increasing the efficiency with which O&M is executed – Optimizing system performance and maximizing system uptime while driving annual O&M costs down System Care Aggregation to O&M Companies
- 15. Service Calls Commercial Residential Sample of 2,000 callsSample of 500 calls
- 16. Questions
- 17. © Copyright 2014, SunSystem Technology Thank You! SunSystem Technology Phone: 916-705-7839 dchase@sunsystemtechnology.com