Reducing Solar Operation and Maintenance Costs

O&M solar can leave quite the dent in your wallet especially if it is a large solar system, or plant for that matter. Solar maintenance is absolutely necessary and mandatory for any solar system so you cannot do without it. 

There is a steady increase in solar equipment installation so it is plausible that O&M costs can and will change over the years. The increase is so rapid that the costs could be as much as 15 billion dollars in 2030.

Ways to Reduce O&M Solar Costs

In solar, operation and maintenance costs basically mean the expenses incurred from running a power plant and ensuring the equipment remains in optimal performance and condition. 

This ensures the output is optimal, which is very important especially for solar power farms. Operation and maintenance costs include scheduled preventative maintenance, daily repairs, and site and asset management.  

The main reason you need to reduce the cost is the overall profitability of the venture. Operation and maintenance costs coupled with capital expenditure come to play when determining a project’s profitability. Let’s get right into how you can reduce these O&M costs:

Effective Site Planning

It all starts with the planning. Little mundane details like making parts more accessible can go a long way in reducing maintenance costs. With lowering operation and maintenance costs in mind, think of how you will design and build the plant. 

Pre-determine the optimal layout of the panels and cables in a way that reduces how much it’s going to cost you in maintenance. What comes to mind first with respect to reducing maintenance costs is making equipment more accessible. Easy access for cleaning and maintenance reduces the overall costs.

Less-than-optimal planning will lead to higher operation and maintenance costs, not to mention that some oversights like misalignments are plausible. Misalignments can be much more destructive, with the risk of fires or overall damage to equipment.

Play by the Rulebook 

You may be tempted to cut a corner or two in maintenance to save yourself some pennies. What you don’t know is that this may lead to the expenses being even higher in the long run, which is very counterproductive when the goal is to reduce O&M solar costs. 

You may end up having to pay about 30% more than what would’ve been if you played by the book and did everything as it should be done. 

Stick to the schedule and perform all scheduled maintenance checks as should be. Correct any defects noticed ASAP with long-lasting solutions. The band-aid may just necessitate an even bigger bandage in the future so it’s better to fix it as soon as it’s noticed.

Optimize Inverter Design

Although remote solar cleaning management may be easier with one large inverter, several small inverters will do you more good. It costs a lot less to maintain smaller multiple inverters than one large one. 

On top of that, if one of the small converters fails, the plant’s operations are only slightly disrupted. Conversely, with one large inverter, failure shuts down the whole thing. In the event of failure, replacing one or several small inverters is certainly cheaper than replacing one large inverter.

Make the Solar Panels More Efficient

After spending cash on a solar project, you have to at least ensure it works efficiently. A solar system that works efficiently will need less O&M solar than solar panels that are not working as efficiently. 

Here are a couple of ways you can make the system more efficient:

Get solar panels with high concentrated photovoltaic cells

Normal cell operations peak at only 22% efficiency. The difference is staggering compared to panels with high concentrated photovoltaic cells, which can peak at 46% efficiency. 

The only downside to this is the higher cost involved in acquiring the second kind of cells. If you find a supplier and have the cash to spend, it is advisable to do so because there are not many models of the same.

Clean your solar panels

Part of O&M solar is regularly cleaning the panels. The enemy here is dust and dirt, which, on accumulation, reduce the efficiency of the whole system. With remote solar cleaning management, consider its costs and how frequently it rains. The output decline from environmental factors can be up to 20% so it is important to regularly clean the panels.