A photovoltaic power plant (PVPP) is a relatively complex device, which may not guarantee 100% profit for the investor if installed unprofessionally or if poorly maintained. In addition to periodic obligations (such as production reporting for the Electricity Market Operator), each large PVPP has the obligation under ČSN 331500 to have its electrical equipment periodically inspected. After a period of time (typically 4 years), the PVPP operator is required to have a periodic report made on the inspection of electrical equipment. Since 2007, Ekotechnik Czech has operated several photovoltaic power plants (PVPP), both in the Czech Republic and abroad, with a total capacity over 17 MWp. We run additional PVPP for our clients, taking care of their equipment maintenance and operation.
In practice, our technicians come across cases of PVPP executed unprofessionally. Not only do these PVPP installations bring lower economic benefits to their owners, they can also become a threat to the safety of your home, company, summer house or manufacturing hall. Only a small number of PVPP operators are aware of the fact that a valid proof of electrical equipment inspection has to be presented to the insurance company in the event of a fire. Failing that, it is very difficult to demand any compensation from the insurance company.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO CARE ABOUT QUALITY PVPP SERVICING AND MONITORING?
- inspection and updating of software in photovoltaic inverters can significantly reduce the time required for restarting the inverter from several minutes to several seconds, thus significantly improving the PVPP’s production economy;
- shading of (perhaps only a small section) a single PV panel or one defective cell can take a whole string out of the PVPP’s operation; minimisation of panel shading leads to greater PVPP production;
- periodic inspection of the PVPP mounting frames can prevent a panel from becoming loose and resulting in damage to property or health;
- thermovision inspection reveals potential defects in panel cells. Subsequent replacement or repair can reduce losses in PVPP production;
- periodic cleaning of inverter filters helps reduce the equipment’s own energy consumption. Removal of dust minimises the risk of a fire;
- inspection of cable lines leads to timely prevention of mechanical damage to cables and PVPP production outages;
- periodic inspection of fuses and circuit breakers is the best way to prevent contact resistance and the related heat development, which can lead to a fire;
- proper optimisation of PVPP operation can significantly increase the PVPP’s economic efficiency;
Our experience and professional know-how enable our clients to minimise economic losses over the PVPP’s lifetime thanks to timely identification and avoidance of problems. We emphasise preventive care for the PVPP, particularly periodic PVPP inspection and servicing (including thermovision measurements). This makes it possible to minimise defects in the PVPP. A prerequisite for optimum PVPP operation and maximised production is continuous PVPP monitoring. For this purpose, we have our own monitoring centre, staffed with several technicians who supervise the operation of PVPPs. If necessary, we make a servicing intervention to eliminate any defects and do PVPP maintenance.
WE OFFER OUR CLIENTS THE FOLLOWING SERVICES IN PVPP OPERATION AND SERVICING:
- system of preventive care for a PVPP of any size;
- periodic and unscheduled PVPP servicing and inspection checks;
- remote PVPP monitoring done by trained supervisors;
- periodic inspection of PV panels and wiring using a thermovision camera;
- development of inspection reports under ČSN 331500;
- maintenance and updating of firmware in photovoltaic inverters;
- optimisation of PVPP performance, including a summary report on the PVPP’s condition and a proposal of measures and recommendations for production optimisation;
- authorised servicing for Huawei inverters.