Latest version of photovoltaic support maintenance guide

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.

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.

How long should a PV installation warranty last?

Ensure at the conclusion of an installer warranty, which may be only 1–10 years, that any equipment warranties (which may be as long as 25 years for PV modules) transfer or are designated to the responsible O&M provider. Current status of KPIs should be available to all parties to the performance contract, both present values and trends over time.

What types of PV systems are covered by this document?

This document is targeted at fleets of third-party-owned, grid-connected PV systems of the following size classes: residential rooftop (typically less than 10 kW); commercial and industrial rooftops and shade structures (10 kW to 1,000 kW); and ground-mounted systems (often greater than 1,000 kW).

Who should check the roof structure of a solar PV system?

5.9.4 The MCS Contractor shall ensure that the roof structure is checked by a suitably competent person to ensure it can withstand the loads imposed by the solar PV system. 5.9.5 For the typical roof structure types shown in Table 1, the calculation methodologies given should be used. qualified structural engineer shall be consulted.

How do asset owners manage a fleet of PV systems?

The asset owner or asset manager should allocate sufficient internal resources and secure any required external resources to implement the O&M plan. Operating and maintaining a fleet of PV systems requires active resource management and data acquisition and analysis by the asset and operation manager(s).