Training: MED-SOLAR

MODULE 6

Maintenance

of PV Power Plants

a) Surveillance level - basic up keeping duties to be performed by the

operator’s local service, e.g. technicians, keepers, etc.

verify that operational values are correct (fulfill the nominal specifications)

b) Preventive maintenance level – duties to be performed by the professional

maintenance contractor (Maintenance Contractor)

Verify that performance indicators, output, protection and durability are kept

within the correct operational ranges

c) Supervision – Evaluation level – duties to be performed by the premise

administrator or a subcontracted engineer evaluator (Engineering consultant)

data collection and analysis, write up of evaluation reports

The 3 levels of O&M intervention

Source: MDC Egypt

Level of preventive maintenance

The O&M Plan must always be:

• adapted to the plant implemented and to the site hosting it

• prepared by or with assistance of qualified professional (s)

Reference list of contents

1. Cover – with title, authors, date, and revision tracking registry

2. Identification of roles and staff for Basic Maintenance and Professional contractors – with copies of contracts in annex

3. PV plant description – project as-built

4. Task check-lists – specifying responsibility, frequency for each task

5. Protocol for Basic Maintenance (operating ranges, templates for O&M Book,

Troubleshooting)

6. Monitoring plan – specifying parameters, data logging, data downloading and

management

O&M plan – referencecontents

- Checklists by O&M level

- Tasks organised in categories - subsystems given in a PV installation:

- Also, frequency for each task must be specified:

FREQUENCY

(preventive

actions)

at all times

weekly

monthly

trimestral

semestral

yearly

every 3 - 4 years

SUBSYSTEM

0 - General

1 - PV Generator and roof

2 - Battery

3 - Charge Controller and data logger system

4 - Inverter

5 - DC distribution and protections

6 - Technical Cabinet

7 - AC connection to Grid

8 - AC feeder line and priority loads

Reference O&M taskchecklists

O&M CODE SUBSYSTEM NAME - DESCRIPTION Frequency

1 0 - General Existence and availability of O&M checklists at all times

2 0 - General Existence and availability of O&M plan at all times

3 0 - General Availability and updating of O&M book records (O&M book) at all times

9 0 - General

Access to Solar Panels (roofs), Tanks and control system

rooms is restricted only to maintenance and authorised

personnel

at all times

111 - PV Generator

and roof

Visual check for shading of the collectors during the day (mid-

morning, noon, and mid-afternoon)yearly

121 - PV Generator

and roofPrevent eventual vegetation growth that may produce shading. semestral

131 - PV Generator

and roofCleaning of eventual dusty or soiled panels trimestral

141 - PV Generator

and roofVisual Check for cracks, hot spots, colour defects in PV panels trimestral

151 - PV Generator

and roofSealant around roof penetrations should be in good condition. trimestral

161 - PV Generator

and roof

Visual Check all nuts and bolts fixing the panels to any support

structures for tightness, absence of corrosion in metallic partstrimestral

Task Checklist (18) for level 1 – Surveillance level

O&M CODE SUBSYSTEM NAME - DESCRIPTION Frequency

171 - PV Generator

and roof

Verify the reference photocell and the temperature sensor

condition (tight fixation, good contact, wire continuity)trimestral

181 - PV Generator

and roofVisual check the wiring good condition trimestral

20 2 - Battery Check the battery density and voltage (each cell) trimestral

21 2 - Battery Check the battery bank voltage monthly

22 2 - Battery

Visual check of cell condition - free of sediments and cristals,

electrolyte level, free of corrosion, connections tight and

protected)

monthly

23 2 - Battery Check availability of densimeter, gloves, goggles, distilled

water, thermometer, funnelmonthly

25

3 - Charge

Controller and

data logger

Check that basic performance parameters lie within design

specifications. Register basic parameters in M&E bookmonthly

336 - Technical

Cabinet

Check good ventilation , restricted acces and availability of

H&S equipment (fire extinguisher, hazard signaling

panels/plates, existing eye wash)

monthly

Task Checklist (18) for level1 – Surveillance level

Source: OPEXEnergy

Source: Solar Clean Hymach

Level 1 – Surveillance level

Source: Solar Clean Hymach

O&M templates (Surveillance level ) - Monthly-Trimestral

O&M

CODESUBSYSTEM NAME - DESCRIPTION Frequency

4 0 - General Existence and availability of as-built drawings at all times

5 0 - General Existence and availability of technical documentation at all times

6 0 - General Existence and availability of operations manuals at all times

7 0 - General Existence and availability of the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan at all times

8 0 - General Availability and updating of M&E reports (M&E book) at all times

10 0 - General General check-up of all elements and operating conditions semestral

191 - PV Generator

and roofCheck the panels and wiring condition, fulfilment of operating specifications semestral

24 2 - Battery Check good condition of wiring and terminals (including earthing), tight

connections, free of dust.semestral

30 4 - InverterCheck inverter state: operation, displays, alarms, verification of modes of

operation, etcsemestral

315 - DC distribution

and protections

Check good condition of wiring and terminals (including earthing), tight

connections, free of dust.semestral

325 - DC distribution

and protections

Check good condition of the ELV connection board - meter, switches, wiring and

terminals (including earthing), tight connections, free of dust.semestral

347 - AC connection

to Grid

Check good condition of the LV connection board - meter, switches, wiring and

terminals (including earthing), tight connections, free of dust.semestral

Task Checklist (12) for level2 – Maintenance Contractor

CODE SUBSYSTEM NAME - DESCRIPTION Frequency

263 - Charge Controller

and data loggerDownload monitoring data, check raw data for eventual errors or inconsistencies

trimestral

273 - Charge Controller

and data logger

Analyse monitoring data and prepare

evaluation reports (semestral, yearly and

aggregate). Draw conclusions and

recommendations on basic and operational parameters.

semestral

283 - Charge Controller

and data logger

If 3rd level monitoring is set, Analyse

Complete monitoring data, prepare evaluation

reports (semestral, yearly and aggregate) and draw conclusions / recommendations

semestral

293 - Charge Controller

and data logger

Check that Operational performance

parametres lie within design specifications. Register operational parameters in M&E book

monthly

Task Checklist (4) for level 3 – Engineering consultant

Revenues in large commercial and utility plants and microgrids = afford O&M contracted to professional staff.

Some contractors offer integrated services: monitoring, insurance and performance assurance.

The cost of O&M can widely vary not only as a function of technology, plant size and site conditions but also as a function of market development in the country.

Reference rule of thumb: 1.5 – 2.0% of the investment costs

Autonomous and back-up plants are more complex and expensive,maintenance-wise, than pure grid-dependent plants due to the additionalcomponents such as batteries and load control devices, and also due to theirrelative smaller size.

Technical O&M costs

RISK Insurance: protection from unexpected damage

COVERS: natural conditions (fire, lightning, storm, snow,…), water damage and flood, short-circuits, overcurrent and overvoltage, explosion, errors during construction or installation, material errors, subsidence, landslide, rockslide, thef and vandalism, operating error, negligence…

NOT COVER: earthquake, war, terrorism, nuclear accidents/ radiation or radioactive substances, internal unrest, normal operational or premature wear, corrosion, existing deficiencies…

Insurance

More information:

www.medsolarproject.com

xavier.vallve@tta.com.es

MED-SOLAR PROJECT

@MEDSOLARPROJECT