Maintenance of Solar Power Plants

Maintenance of solar power plants

Setting up your own solar power plant requires a solid investment. If the plant owner is interested in amortising these investments as soon as possible, it will not be possible to complete the installation and forget about the solar power plant forever. You need to ensure regular maintenance of solar panels. Maintenance does not take much time and will increase the efficiency of the panels and extend the life of the panels.

• Maintenance of solar panels is best done early in the morning, late in the evening or on cloudy but dry days.
• If possible, it is best to do all work from the ground using long-handled brushes.
• If the panels are located at a considerable height, wear shoes with non-slip soles and use a rope for safety.

To keep the panels clean, it is usually sufficient to clean the surface with water and wipe with a soft brush or sponge a few times a year. If the panels are located near large industrial facilities or motorways, solar power plant maintenance will need to be repeated more frequently.

Solar Power Plant Consists of the Following:

• Solar panels that convert solar energy into electrical energy, i.e. direct electric current,
• An inverter that converts direct current from panels (220/230V or 380V) into normal alternating current with voltage,
• DC protective equipment – DC circuit breaker, surge protection device, fuses,
• Cables for connecting solar panels to an inverter,
• Mounting kit for mounting an array of solar panels on a roof or on a ground structure.
• How is the payback period of a solar power plant calculated?
• The cost of your solar power plant. This amount should include all costs for the purchase of equipment, delivery and installation.
• Annual electricity savings. To calculate it, multiply the annual production of the power plant (kWh) by the average electricity tariff in the region.

Divide the cost of a solar power plant by the annual savings and you will find out in how many years the installation of a solar power plant pays for itself and begins to bring you profit. On average, the payback period of solar panels for a home is 5-10 years.

The Importance of Cleaning Solar Panels Regularly

Cleaning solar energy panels

Dust, dirt, bird droppings, leaves, various debris, all this accumulates on the surface of the panels and also clogs the space between the modules, reducing the efficiency of the system.
There is an opinion that there is no need for special cleaning of solar panels, as the rains will wash away all the pollution. However, this opinion is wrong. If the rain is not strong enough, it will not clean the surface, but instead will spread the dirt over the surface of the panels, thereby reducing the problem.

will be exacerbated. Regularly checking the integrity of all elements of the solar power plant is of great importance for energy production efficiency.

Causes of deterioration of solar panels

The quality of the materials from which the panels are made: Panels made of cheap materials increase the risk of rapid deterioration of parts and failure of the entire solar power plant.
Climate conditions: Hot climates, strong winds and high loads from the weight of snow have a negative impact on the integrity and efficiency of the modules.
Pollution: Dirt and dust accumulated on the surface of solar panels prevents solar cells from receiving sunlight, resulting in losses of up to 5% in solar cell efficiency. Dirt accumulates particularly quickly on solar panels mounted on a flat surface.
Incorrect installation and incorrect connection with other components of the solar power plant. During installation, it is necessary to take into account the safety of solar modules and the technical characteristics of all elements, so it is best to leave their installation to professionals.

What Happens If Solar Panel Thermal Inspection is Not Performed?

This situation causes a decrease in performance over time, if thermal inspection operations and maintenance operations are not performed, the solar power plant will produce less electrical energy with the same amount of sunlight. All solar panels deteriorate, but at different rates.

Solar panels lose performance at an average rate of 0.5 per cent per year. After 20 years, the solar panel will only be able to produce 90 per cent of the electrical energy produced in the first year of operation.
If you want solar power plants to operate at maximum efficiency, you should have thermographic inspection procedures carried out in a timely manner to determine whether there are defects in the panels. As a result of aerial thermal inspection, if errors are found in the panels, these errors should be repaired in time or the defective panel should be replaced in order not to damage the entire system.

MapperX detects faults in the panels in the images obtained from thermal inspection processes with fully automatic fast and 100% accuracy. The detected errors are reported in world standards in a way that users can understand. MapperX adds value to solar power plants. Visit the website to learn more about “Use of Artificial Intelligence and Efficiency Increase in Solar Power Plants“