What is operation & maintenance (O&M) of photovoltaic (PV) systems?

This guide considers Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of photovoltaic (PV) systems with the goal of reducing the cost of O&M and increasing its effectiveness. Reported O&M costs vary widely, and a more standardized approach to planning and delivering O&M can make costs more predictable.

How does operations & maintenance affect PV investment?

A major influence on risk and return for PV is operations and maintenance (O&M)—but O&M practices and costs vary widely across the United States, making these variables difficult for investors to predict. To address this barrier to continued PV investment, the PV O&M Working Group has developed a new best-practices guide for PV O&M.

What is photovoltaic maintenance?

IEEE 49th Photovoltaics Specialists Conference Maintenance at large-scale photovoltaic plants employs a mix of preventative and corrective maintenance practices. Large outages, such as an inverter tripping offline, are often easy to detect. More

Do solar PV modules need maintenance?

solar PV modules to decide if cleaning and/or corrective maintenance actions are equired. In industrial environments, solar PV modules can deve op unexpected deterioration. Special attention must be paid to selec

When should a PV O&M plan be considered?

The PV O&M plan should be considered within the context of the performance period required for a residential or commercial PV system to generate a sufficient return on investment (ROI). The PV O&M life-cycle begins with planning and system design. The life cycle ends with provision for decommissioning or disposal of the system.

What is the best-practices guide for PV O&M?

To address this barrier to continued PV investment, the PV O&M Working Group has developed a new best-practices guide for PV O&M. The guide encourages high-quality PV system deployment and operation that improves lifetime project performance and energy production.