We’re committed to performance. Our solar operations and maintenance programs are designed to ensure peak system performance to maximize electricity generation, optimize financial return, and protect your investment.
A majority of mid-sized systems develop small, undetected losses within 3 to 4 years. These issues compound over time, degrading your system’s performance, and can lead to significant losses if not corrected. Actively monitoring to identify and correct these small operational issues is the best way to maintain a healthy, efficient system. VCT Group’s solar operations and maintenance services combine internet-based system monitoring with a suite of maintenance procedures.
After installation, you can be confident that your system is in good hands and will maintain its performance for its warrantied lifetime and beyond.
Our Service Programs
VCT currently has three tiered program options available to provide the level of oversight, monitoring and support for your system that you see fit. You have the option of managing your own system with VCT supplied data; having your system actively monitored by our in-house experts; and at the highest tier, adding regular scheduled maintenance to anticipate potential issues to have them addressed before they impact performance. Each increasing level of service program includes all of the services from lower tiers.
REPORT
LEVEL 1: Our Report program brings your system into the VCT Solar Management platform which provides automated analysis, alerts, and reporting, but is essentially a self-managed service program. The information provided in this program helps you determine if your System is performing in line with its capabilities.
If you determine that your System isn’t performing as it should, or if you have other concerns about the operation of your system, you are able to engage VCT on a fee-for-service basis for all troubleshooting, diagnostic and service needs.
Your PV system is monitored daily by an artificial intelligence platform that reviews site-level faults and data output provided by your solar PV system hardware.
The REPORT program consists of the following:
- O&M Management: self-managed, VCT will await your call if support is needed
- AI Driven Monitoring & Fault Detection: Automated algorithms for fault identification
- Fault Notifications: Sent only to you, the System Owner, for your review
- Monthly & Annual Reporting: Summary reports emailed to you, the System Owner
MONITOR
LEVEL 2: Our Monitor program provides all of the services of the Report program, however, it transitions the core monitoring and analysis tasks from you to VCT.
You, of course, are still welcome to perform your own analysis and call VCT with any concerns.
The MONITOR program consists of the following:
- O&M Management: VCT initiates and manages support for System issues
- AI-driven Daily Monitoring & Fault Detection: Automated algorithms for fault identification
- Fault Notifications: Sent to you and VCT, for further analysis by VCT
- Monthly & Annual Reporting: Sent to you and VCT for review and analysis
- Weekly Performance Review: Algorithm based and VCT staff-based performance analysis
- Remote Diagnostics & Analysis: VCT performs remote services and diagnostics
MAINTAIN
LEVEL 3: Our Maintain program provides all of the benefits of the active monitoring and service of the Monitor service program, and also adds on-site preventative maintenance and service inspections. Further, this includes enhanced reporting of monitoring activities, site service work and any further recommendations for System operations, based on our review and analysis.
Integrating solar irradiance data, weather system data, and onsite camera imaging provides opportunities to analyze and show off your System in incredible ways. Talk to us about options and costs for integrating various sensor and camera packages.
The MAINTAIN program consists of all the services of the Monitor program, and adds the following:
Onsite Annual Maintenance: VCT performs preventative maintenance & inspection
Maintenance Service Reporting: VCT provides service reports for on- and off-site work
Replacement Stock: VCT will maintain stock levels of specific system components
Optional Sensor Packages: VCT integrates Camera, Irradiance, Weather or other on-site sensors, revenue grade metering and our bespoke comm-box solution
Service Response Times
Responsiveness is prioritized for the Systems that are maintained under Active Service programs (Monitor, Maintain). With the Report service package, responsiveness is performed on a ‘best efforts’ basis. For Active Service programs, responsiveness is prioritized by outage impact across the fleet. Response times are measured from the time at which an issue is identified and becomes known to VCT. A response is defined as active and meaningful steps taken to further diagnose, troubleshoot or perform service on the System in order to return it to safety/full production.
Level 0
1 hour on a Business Day, 2 hours otherwise
Defined as events where a human safety risk exists as a result of an issue with the System.
For urgent services, call 519-279-4638
Level 1
1 Business Day
Defined as System related issues not addressed in previous levels that prevent all, or substantially all, of the potential electricity generation of the System from being delivered to the local electrical grid.
Level 2
3 Business Days
Defined as System related issues not addressed in previous levels that prevent >25% of the potential electricity generation of the system to be delivered to the local electrical grid, and communications issues preventing VCT from obtaining performance and production data from the System.
Level 3
7 Business Days
Defined as System related issues not addressed in previous levels that prevent >5% of the potential electricity generation of the system to be delivered to the local electrical grid.
Level 4
Timeline to be determined*
Defined as System related issues not addressed in previous levels that prevent >5% of the potential electricity generation of the system to be delivered to the local electrical grid.
* Timeline for service to be determined in consultation with system owner.
Level 0
1 hour on a Business Day, 2 hours otherwise
Defined as events where a human safety risk exists as a result of an issue with the System.
For urgent services, call 519-279-4638
Level 1
1 Business Day
Defined as System related issues not addressed in previous levels that prevent all, or substantially all, of the potential electricity generation of the System from being delivered to the local electrical grid.
Level 2
3 Business Days
Defined as System related issues not addressed in previous levels that prevent >25% of the potential electricity generation of the system to be delivered to the local electrical grid, and communications issues preventing VCT from obtaining performance and production data from the System.
Level 3
7 Business Days
Defined as System related issues not addressed in previous levels that prevent >5% of the potential electricity generation of the system to be delivered to the local electrical grid.
Level 4
Timeline to be determined*
Defined as System related issues not addressed in previous levels that prevent >5% of the potential electricity generation of the system to be delivered to the local electrical grid.
*Timeline for service to be determined in consultation with system owner.
TALK TO US TODAY – OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE Joseph Echebi 519.279.4630 ext. 109 jechebi@vctgroup.com
Solar Performance Diagnostics
While generally reliable, sometimes solar panels develop performance problems. All of our systems are backed by more than 10 years of ownership experience, and we stand behind every installation. We’re committed to ensuring solar PV systems perform at their best.
VCT Group continues to expand our monitoring and solar diagnostics tools to help us get systems performing at their absolute best. In addition to our active monitoring program, we use a suite of solar diagnostic tools to help us identify underperforming elements in solar arrays.
Remote monitoring can help to diagnose issues, but sometimes further diagnostics and testing is required in the field. Here’s a few of the diagnostic tools we use to enhance solar PV performance:
I-V Curve Tracing
I-V Curve Tracing is a fast, reliable, and comprehensive way to efficiently identify and diagnose performance issues in PV systems.
For each string in a photovoltaic array, an I-V Curve Tracer measures current and power as a function of voltage. Comparing voltage measurements of a range of electrical loads connected to a string are compared to expected results. By analyzing the shape of the curve, this can identify problem-causing elements in the string, such as which module, connector, or length of wire could be causing performance issues.
When a system seems to be underperforming, I-V Curve Tracing is an efficient method of troubleshooting and narrowing down potential issues.
Infrared Analysis
The cells within typical solar panels have an efficiency of approximately 20%. Simplified, this means that 20% of the light energy that hits the cell is converted to electricity, while the other 80% remains as heat. When a cell in a solar PV panel is malfunctioning or failing to properly convert sun energy to electricity, it gets hotter than other cells in a panel. Infrared analysis is able to detect these temperature variations, and point to where problems may exist within the panel. The same analysis can be done to cables and other electrical elements within the system, identifying heat build up and indicating where there may be performance problems.
When the conditions are right, infrared analysis can be performed on a system while it is in operation, without unplugging any components or shutting the system down.
Electroluminescent Testing
The cells inside solar panels are brittle, and can fracture or be broken from impacts or from mishandling. These fractures can be difficult to identify without special equipment. Electroluminescent testing works by running the solar panel in reverse; when applying current to a solar panel, normal functioning cells will emit very small amounts of light outside the visible spectrum. Where circuits and cells are broken, no light is emitted, as can be seen in the cracks in the accompanying image. Electroluminescent testing is an alternative to infrared analysis, but provides much more detail as to what problems may exist within a panel, and doesn’t require the panel to be in operation under ideal conditions.
