HelioVolta
HelioVolta, the developer of SolarGrade field operations software and provider of independent technical services for renewable energy sources, has published its second annual report SolarGrade PV Health Report. The report highlights findings from more than 100,000 PV system data points collected with the SolarGrade mobile app during site visits by field engineers to hundreds of projects across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
Key findings from the SolarGrade PV Health Report 2024 involve:
- 72% of inspections identified safety and reliability issues that required urgent resolution.
- Critical safety issues were found in 11% of inspections that required complete or partial power outage, resulting in system outages and financial losses.
- Wiring and connectors cause more problems than any other part of a PV system. Problems are found in 83% of the inspected projects.
- The vast majority of issues identified in operational systems could be avoided with independent construction QA/QC and thorough O&M protocols.
“The SolarGrade report is a wake-up call for the industry, but the data shows that most safety issues we encounter are preventable with the right tools, practices and a strong emphasis on education and training,” said Ryan Mayfield, founder and SME of Mayfield Renewables. “Investing in comprehensive training programs is essential to equip professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to ensure the safety and excellence of solar installations.”
While these statistics may be alarming, the report’s findings show that facility owners and operators can easily address issues related to the safety and reliability of PV systems. A two-fold solution is needed: first, installers and field technicians must have the right tools to identify and monitor safety and reliability issues, and second, they must objectively assess the risk of each problem. With accurate, timely information from the field, managers can implement appropriate recovery plans.
“Clear, standardized communication around risks is essential. When engineers, operators and managers inconsistently define terms like ‘minor’ and ‘major’, real risks are overlooked until they culminate in harmful safety events,” said David Penalva, co-founder and CEO of HelioVolta. “The SolarGrade platform helps ensure that issues are accurately identified and addressed before they lead to significant disruptions that are costly and dangerous.”
Building on the foundation of the inaugural report, this year’s report introduces a detailed field risk calculation matrix used by HelioVolta’s field engineers. A mobile-enabled matrix is also available free online for use in the field, further expanding the tools available to solar professionals.
This year’s edition provides a deeper analysis of PV system quality by including data from construction quality control and commissioning inspections for the first time. Construction crews can use these findings to reduce rework during construction.
“We share field intelligence from SolarGrade to help developers, EPCs, O&M vendors and asset owners optimize processes and avoid costly outages, but our ultimate goal is to enable them to collect and act on their own location data ” said James Nagel, co-manager of SolarGrade. founder and COO of HelioVolta. “As we face the growing urgency of the climate crisis, it is essential to build clean energy sources that both perform and sustain.”
News item from HelioVolta and SolarGrade