Repair and maintenance for
solar PV systems
Proper maintenance of your solar PV system includes ongoing inspection and analysis of the system modules, or panels. Aging solar panels, such as original modules installed under the Ontario government Feed-in Tariff (FIT) or Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program (RESOP) programs, can fall into disrepair and result in asset under-performance or risk of more costly maintenance.
Data collected through our monitoring platforms along with our analytics can identify modules that may have been soiled and require cleaning for maximum performance, or are experiencing equipment failure.
The typical peak performance season for solar modules in Canada is May to September. On-site solar system maintenance visits are essential to ensure your system is ready for the peak season.
During an on-site visit, our technicians check modules and may make the following recommendations to increase payback:
- Additional modules (panels)
- DC Repowering: replacement of modules with newer models
- Re-location of modules
- Installation of bi-facial modules. These modules collect the power of the sun from both sides. The heat produced from reflected sunlight on the modules results in the assets’ ability to shed snow faster. When installed in climates where great volumes of snow are expected in winter, these modules can produce substantially increased energy output.
We perform solar panel maintenance on:
- Residential housing, including multi-residential (apartments, condos)
- Industrial sites
- Retail sites
- Office sites
- Agricultural locations and farms
Module cleaning and groundskeeping: an important component of solar panel maintenance
Modules can be susceptible to different types of soiling, based on the location and climate of the site. Additionally, for ground-mounted assets, the area surrounding the assets may impact module performance if overgrown. Maintenance procedures include:
- Cleaning of industrial exhaust
- Cleaning of environmental dust during planting and harvesting seasons
- Cleaning of soiling from animals, such as seagulls if the site has become a nesting location
- Maintenance of weeds and bushes for ground-mounted systems, to reduce shading on the module