Technical asset management for photovoltaic (PV) plants
Technical asset management for PV plants: monitoring, control and maintenance for consistently high performance and minimal downtime.
Professional technical asset management is the key to optimising the performance of your photovoltaic plant in the long term and minimising downtime. We take over the comprehensive monitoring, control and maintenance of your PV plant, tailored to your requirements: with continuous plant monitoring, fast fault detection, regular inspections and maintenance, and aerial inspection by drone with an integrated IR camera. The aim is high technical availability: the plant should feed in at full output for as many hours as possible, and faults should be rectified quickly.
Monitoring is the basis. The standard IEC 61724-1 deals with monitoring the performance of PV systems. From irradiance, generation and plant status, key figures can be derived that show whether a plant is exploiting its potential. Performance analyses show where output can be improved in a targeted way, for example when individual strings or inverters consistently lag behind the rest. Fast fault detection means that deviations are noticed before they show up in the annual yield. Measured irradiance and module temperature provide the benchmark, so that weather-related underperformance can be distinguished from genuine faults.
Maintenance goes beyond looking at measured values. Technical standards for the maintenance of grid-connected PV plants name as areas the standard maintenance of components, safety and fire protection measures, fault analysis, corrective measures to increase output, module cleaning and the care of vegetation around the plant. Maintenance intervals depend on plant type, manufacturer specifications, contractual and official requirements, and on location and scope of monitoring. Under suitable operating and measuring conditions, a drone survey with a thermal imaging camera can make thermal anomalies visible on modules and on electrical components such as connectors or inverters, and thus also serves fire protection. The findings are assessed by specialists and, where necessary, verified by further tests. Inspections also look at cables, connectors and fixings, because loose connections can lead to overheating. On ground-mounted sites, vegetation management prevents shading and reduces the fire load; from an ecological point of view, late mowing with removal of the cuttings is recommended instead of mulching. Keeping test and maintenance records also allows you to substantiate manufacturer warranties, because the evidence a manufacturer requires in a warranty case depends on the warranty terms and the specific damage pattern, while field measurement serves to detect anomalies.
Our know-how protects your investment and maximises the energy yield, from commissioning to the end of the service life. Asset management begins after the technical acceptance. In addition, we take on the commercial asset management with accounting, contract management, billing and reporting, so that the technology and the economics of your plant fit together. During operation, the electrical inspection adds to the safety of the plant, the sound emission measurement to noise control and the biological and ecological monitoring to the effect of the nature conservation measures. Documentation over the service life also counts, because it shows the development and ageing of the plant and makes decisions on repair and replacement easier.
