FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
TOP TIPS TO LEVERAGE SOLA As more commercial operators look to solar to provide clean, low-cost energy for
their buildings, many facilities managers are finding their job description now includes responsibility for managing what is on the roof as well as what is under it. For non-solar
specialists, this transition may feel daunting. However, help is at hand. Here, Christelle Barnes, UK country manager for smart energy technology provider SolarEdge Technologies, discusses recent advancements in solar technology that can help facilities teams to maximise solar energy production, streamline O&M costs, and make solar even safer
In a DC-optimised system, Power Optimizers track the performance of solar panels in real-time and provide pinpointed alerts to system issues in order to reduce time spent on site
WHAT ARE THE TOP PRIORITIES FOR FM TEAMS CHARGED WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR A SOLAR INSTALLATION? As the pace of commissioning commercial PV (photovoltaic) solar systems increases while current systems mature, commercial operators are looking at PV systems as more than just a source of clean energy. Instead, they are now viewed as long-term investments that need to be closely managed in order to improve their ROI and bottom line. As with any investment, the two main ways to improve the ROI of a PV system is to increase the revenue and decrease the lifetime costs. In most organisations, the responsibility for this task is likely to fall either in whole or in part to the facilities management team. One of the first ways to increase PV system production is during the design and planning process. When analysing the different PV options available, the onus should be on selecting a system that can offset as much of a site’s energy use as possible – now and in the future. For example, let’s say your organisation is planning to transition its delivery fleet from petrol or diesel-powered vehicles to electric ones within the next few years. That is going to increase the site’s demand for electricity considerably. It’s important to take that into consideration early
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or nearby trees. As traditional inverter systems require solar panels to be wired in a series, if a single panel’s output is low, the efficiency of all connected panels are reduced to the same level, significantly reducing overall energy production. Standard inverter systems also require that solar panels are placed in identical string lengths and at exactly the same pitch and orientation. This can severely restrict the number of panels that can be installed, sometimes to the point where solar becomes no longer financially viable. Due to these and other limitations, in recent years there has been a notable shift away from traditional string inverters in favour of more advanced systems that leverage DC-optimisation. DC-optimised systems split the functionality of a traditional string inverter and use Power Optimizers placed directly onto solar panels to monitor and optimise solar system performance at the panel – rather than string – level. This ensures that in the event of panel mismatch, any loss of production is restricted only to the affected panels. DC-optimised systems also provide greater design flexibility, allowing for larger system sizes even on heavily congested roofs.
on and plan the PV system accordingly. Advancements in solar technology, for example the development of more efficient solar panel materials, are making it possible to pull more power from even the most challenging roof spaces. Of even greater importance are advancements in solar inverters. Solar inverters account for less than 10% of the cost of a typical solar installation and yet are responsible for 100% of the energy generation. This means choosing the right inverter for your PV system has significant implications for its long-term financial performance. In a traditional inverter system, the inverter
performs two main functions: DC to AC power conversion and maximum power point tracking (MPPT). The latter is responsible for extracting maximum power from the system. As the MPPT is the most expensive component of any inverter system a common practice is to connect as many solar panels as possible to each MPPT. However, while this might save money initially, it builds inefficiency into the system which ends up costing much more in the long run. This is because of the energy mismatch that occurs when panels operate at different efficiencies. There are many factors that can impact panel performance, including ageing, manufacture tolerance variation, soiling, or shading from clouds
ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS - Autumn 2024
WHAT ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE MAINTENANCE STRATEGIES TO HELP DECREASE PV SYSTEM LIFETIME COSTS? This is a common question among facilities managers. Generally speaking, FMs are not solar specialists, so ease-of-use is incredibly important both from a time and cost management perspective. The most common O&M strategies for PV systems are preventative and corrective maintenance. Preventative maintenance is intended to maintain the PV system at its highest working condition and limit system downtime. This usually requires an annual site visit to thoroughly evaluate the components of the PV system and check the system health. Standard systems require that each panel be inspected to confirm they are properly working. This is a particularly burdensome, costly, and inefficient procedure. In addition, it can even be dangerous for maintenance personnel working at unsafe heights and with high voltages. During preventative maintenance activity, maintenance personnel often uncover latent problems that have caused the system to have decreased energy production for an extended amount of time. This would then call for corrective maintenance to be performed.
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