Why should you track energy availability in a PV operation contract?

Tracking this availability (or unavailability) provides transparency into the equipment reliability state to all parties involved in an O&M services contract. In most PV operation contracts, energy will be the driving factor of whether the system is operating as expected.

What are the requirements for large PV power plants?

Large PV power plants (i.e., greater than 20 MW at the utility interconnection) that provide power into the bulk power system must comply with standards related to reliability and adequacy promulgated by authorities such as NERC and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Why is energy availability important in assessing PV systems?

Both energy and availability are necessary metrics for assessing PV systems. If the stakeholders involved in a contract are most interested in energy production, and if the contract holds parties responsible for energy production, then it is crucial that energy losses associated with unavailability and system performance are accounted for.

How does energy affect a PV operation contract?

In most PV operation contracts, energy will be the driving factor of whether the system is operating as expected. EPC guarantees, operator guarantees, owner measure of ROI, and other considerations for a contract are mostly based on whether the system produced energy as it was expected to.

Are PV storage systems safe?

Storage systems in PV plus storage settings call for many overlapping safety standards and precautions, particularly those that apply to working on DC wiring, and bring a set of technology-specific new considerations.

How much of a PV module can be recycled?

Demonstration projects at SolarWorld and commercial-scale recycling operations at First Solar have shown that 84% to 90% by weight of a PV module can be recycled (Larsen 2009). If a system transfers ownership, it is important to consider how warranties are handled.