The importance of O&M is often overlooked by many developers. Considering the fact that the plant has to generate returns over a period of 25 years, a good O&M contractor, a good monitoring system and above all, a very good…
Solar Power Plant Evaluation – What have been the degradation rates in the panels?
Solar panels form the core of a solar power plant. Hence, the performance degradation rates of the installed panels are good, probably the best indicators of its quality. Your financial returns pretty much depend on the output from the panels.…
Solar Power Plant Evaluation – Is the solar power plant located in areas prone to floods and water logging?
You are all set to invest in an already running solar power plant. Most things about the solar power plant look good – excellent sunshine in the area, good quality components, good generation data so far… Before you decide on your…
Solar Power Plant Evaluation – Presence of local service support from component manufacturers
Now, why is this a key aspect while evaluating panels or inverters of an existing solar power plant? Let’s look at inverters to illustrate the significance of local service support. Although designed with a life expectancy in excess of 20…
Solar Power Plant Evaluation – How good are the inverters?
What is the need for rigorous evaluation of the inverter in a power plant? An inverter is the most complicated component of the PV plant and is the heart of the system. It converts DC power output from the panels into…
Solar Power Plant Evaluation – Evaluation for performance at high temperature
It may seem counter-intuitive, but solar panel efficiency is affected negatively by temperature increases. Photovoltaics, or solar panels that produce electricity, are affected by their operating temperature, which is primarily a product of the ambient air temperature as well as the…
Solar Power Plant Evaluation – Quality of the O&M Company and Personnel
Most project developers ignore the importance of O&M in a solar power plant, mainly because of the common perception is that since solar power plants do not have any major moving plants, they will work without any major maintenance for…
Solar Power Plant Evaluation – How well have the components been chosen?
While the whole may be much more than the sum of parts, the quality of each part of any system matters too, doesn’t it! Same is the case for solar power plant components. While it would be impossible to guide…
Solar Power Plant Evaluation – What types of monitoring solutions are employed by the power plant?
Before answering this question, let’s discuss what a PV monitoring system is PV monitoring systems are software-driven devices that track the performance of a solar energy installation. They vary in terms of what they track and how it’s displayed, but…
Solar Power Plant Evaluation – What are the terms and conditions between the current owner and installer of the power plant?
We all know that going through any kind of contracts can be neck breaking and tedious. But before you invest in an up and running solar power plant, you really are better off reading( if possible re-reading) the contract of…
