Solar PV is an extremely reliable technology, but like all electrical installations, problems can and do arise with older systems.
Often, these installations fall outside warranty periods and the original installer may no longer even be in business. The earliest feed-in tariff installations are now 11 years old, with around 1 million PV systems (including domestic) now installed across the UK.
In the light of lots of ups and mostly downs in government policy towards Solar PV there are a considerable number of systems on farms, businesses, and public buildings all over the UK that are effectively “solar orphans,” not providing the return on investment that they should and could. These systems now need some long overdue TLC to maximise output and therefore return on investment.
I have lost count of the number of solar PV firms in the UK that have gone bust since 2010 as a direct result of changes (sometimes retrospective changes) to government policy. Inevitably, this has left many commercial PV owners on their own with underperforming systems, not knowing where to turn. Others are simply unaware that they have a problem, until output and therefore FIT payments start to drop well below the original projections. It can be years before these problems eventually come to light.
Solar PV is a fundamentally sound investment, but it is not “fit and forget.”
Solar PV is a fundamentally sound investment, but it is not “fit and forget.” It does need someone who knows what they are doing to keep an eye on annual performance, particularly as systems age and equipment can start to break down.
Problems arise often from systems installed with no coherent strategy for Operations and Maintenance and ongoing support, and even when those essential O&M services are in place at the beginning, that is of no help to the solar PV owner if the original installation company then goes out of business. The frustration is that often systems are underperforming due to problems with minor low-cost items such as isolators or breakers, but not picking up these issues early can lead to significant loss of revenue in the long-term.
Common faults are poor reliability of early inverters, inverters breaking down, faulty isolators, breakers tripping, even rats in the roof damaging cabling, and other issues, including at least one system that had never actually been turned on. Many of these faults develop typically over the life of the PV system, and the good news is that most can be nipped in the bud. Having done so, an ongoing, long-term monitoring and review system will help to ensure that the system remains in optimum condition, and further problems are avoided.
We are currently monitoring over 150 installations for 30 clients and estimate that we’ve saved them £150,000 in the last 12 months.
That is where RWG Solar comes in. We provide an arm around the shoulder of PV users, offering a long-term and relentless monitoring overview of what is really going on with their system. We carry out an initial review to reveal any obvious faults that may have to be rectified.
RWG Solar uses a robust meter-based approach, a bullet proof oversight solution that uses established non-Internet based technology to avoid security and broadband issues. We can also bill building tenants for solar electricity, claim any feed-in tariff owed, and show PV owners how their installation is performing, against designed output. All automatically without lifting a finger, year after year.
For example, we look after Worthy farm’s 250kWp system (site of the Glastonbury festival), and several systems for Low Carbon Gordano, a low carbon PV system funder in the Severn Valley area. Over the years we have identified inverter faults in some of their installations. Brian Titley of Low Carbon Gordano said that RWG Solar provides a “very useful monitoring system, attentively run. It has saved us from lost income on several occasions.” We are currently monitoring over 150 installations for 30 clients and estimate that we’ve saved them £150,000 in the last 12 months.
If you suspect your installation is underperforming or just want the peace of mind of a long overdue system check-up, do consider using our specialist services. For further information and to get in touch, please visit www.rwgconsulting.co.uk
