Operations and maintenance (O&M) are the services that help solar arrays continue functioning at optimal capacity. In other words, O&M helps minimize downtime and increase efficiency by identifying and resolving errors. To ensure your solar project is functioning correctly at all times, it’s essential to perform regular maintenance and inspection. For instance, routine servicing can help prevent a situation where preventable problems result in production losses. O&M solutions can be obtained either in-house or on the open market. In-house O&M solutions have the added advantage of access to your original design files, installation notes, and service records. Maintenance technicians are trained in the correct cleaning, upkeep, and updating techniques for your particular array.
O&M solar services could include:
- Scheduled maintenance
- Energy forecasting
- Module cleaning
- Performance monitoring
- Data interpretation
- Diagnostics and repairs
- Ordering replacement parts
- Vegetation control
- Unscheduled support
- Risk management & mitigation
O&M solutions help with regular maintenance as well as breakdown situations. Your array should be maintained by people with strong engineering expertise or solar-specific training. These skills include product-specific diagnosis, quality assurance, inventory-taking, project management, and technical skills. By working with a company that offers in-house O&M solar services, you can expect greater consistency in system availability and maintenance response times.
Both commercial and residential projects should commit to including O&M solutions in the long-term plans for their solar projects. O&M teams can help you handle paperwork, update complex systems, and predict and adapt the performance of your array for optimum results.
