Like all infrastructure, solar PV systems will perform at their best and deliver the highest possible yields with regular attention.
An example of factors resulting from lack of maintenance that can have a detrimental effect on solar PV energy panels.
First of all comes safety. Solar PV installations comprise many electrical parts which need to be checked as wear and tear can manifest itself in a number of ways – especially on commercial properties.
Secondly – although it may seem obvious – is the need to keep panels clean. The cleaner the panel, the more power it will generate, and the more panels that are fully operational, the more you will earn. Keeping your software up to date is also likely to bring a number of benefits, not least the continually improving ability to optimise your equipment and monitor its performance.
T H WHITE Energy, Fire & Security can help with all these things. We are able to undertake everything from a basic service in which we check all the components of a system for safety and performance, panel cleaning, monitoring and technical support, grass cutting (especially for solar ‘farms’), drone photography (to check the status of difficult-to-access areas) and install smart meters to check for feasibility of battery systems.
To keep a system functioning at its best we recommend annual servicing. Panel cleaning may need to be carried out more frequently depending on the location as dust or leaf matter can have a strong negative impact on generating capacity, but cleaning should be carried out at least once a year. A client who is a dairy farmer had noticed a drop in his solar energy yields. There was a lot of airborne dust from the dairy operations, but after T H WHITE cleaned the panels there was an immediate leap in generation of more than 15 per cent.
Our monitoring service is a worthwhile add-on as we can often detect potential faults before you do and offer technical support.
One of the problems that has arisen in the solar energy business over recent years is that many suppliers have come and gone. When you commit to a solar installation it’s important to know that the contractor you use will be there for the long term to keep your system performing at its best throughout its life. T H WHITE has been trading since 1832 and is a company that you can count on to be there to support the 25 year guarantee on your panels.
We encountered a situation recently where a customer whose system had been installed by a company no longer trading called us in. His system was in poor condition and the list of faults included damaged cables, panels not connected and inverters not working. After we overhauled his system the customer now has a full complement of operational panels.
T H WHITE Energy, Fire & Security has a dedicated full time technical support and service team. Our team members have installed thousands of solar systems in the last 10 years, including the recent installation of one of the largest rooftop systems in the UK. Apart from judging us by our track record, customers choose us because we are MCS and Safe Contractor- Accredited for solar PV, complying with CDM 2015 standards for safety.
If you would like to ensure that your solar PV installation is performing at its best, we have a range of service packages to suit everyone. For the full details just call us on 01380 726656.
