INTERVIEW - Finding parts for aging solar assets could be an issue, expert says

Securing spare parts for old equipment and dealing with a changing climate are some of the challenges that solar asset managers will be facing in the near future, while the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and other innovations could make the rest of the job easier at least for those who do it quick.

Lynsey Tibbs, an engineer with 16 years of experience in the field, spoke to Renewables Now on the prospects ahead of the industry. She is the Director of Asset Management at Silicon Ranch, a fully integrated provider of customised renewable energy, carbon, and battery storage solutions that owns and operates every project in its portfolio which includes more than 150 solar power plants in 15 states, from New York to California.

According to Tibbs, an important issue in the sector that needs to be addressed is the advancing age of existing equipment and the necessity of finding creative ways to get spare parts.

“This may be influenced by the current supply chain constraints but with equipment continuing to age and become obsolete in terms of being fit for modern site design, we will need to be proactive in finding shops willing to manufacture parts for equipment that is no longer manufactured and other refurbishment options. We can also change our equipment but that is often not cost-effective,” she said.

Tibbs is positive that advancements in AI will come about and possibly assist in activities such as data cleaning and failure prediction, among others. She believes that asset managers and solar farm operators are ready to embrace innovation.

“Anything that can help us gather valuable insights on that data faster would be quickly adopted. One particular way I can think of is in string-level monitoring that is cost-effective. Gathering such data at a price that is affordable would be a great addition for any owner.”

“I think there are other general areas where innovation is currently welcome around some of the non-energy-impacting activities. Vegetation, module cleaning, etc. come to mind as areas where we are and will continue to look for innovative solutions.”

The Silicon Ranch director noted that money spent on aerial inspections, which have become an absolute standard over the last 5-7 years, is quickly repaid for most, if not all, owners. On the other hand, waterless cleaning is not actually a viable solution for all cases. “In the Southeast, the only washing we do is based on pine pollen soiling. This sort of soiling cannot be removed with a waterless version. I would say [waterless cleaning] is only being utilised in the west and not yet widespread,” she pointed out.

On the topic of cyber security, Tibbs feels like there are sufficient resources for the solar industry to tap into to prepare for increasing cyber-attacks but “it is on the owners to engage with these resources to make sure their fleet is protected.”

Tibbs also commented on the topic of extreme weather conditions and natural disasters, saying that not much could be done once the installation is completed. Rather, developers should prepare for the known risks during the engineering phase.

”If you know you will be in a high wind region, including a hurricane-prone zone, then your engineering should take into account those wind loads and operational procedures to face the modules in the most optimal direction for storm conditions. For hail, the module type should be considered,” she explained, adding that the best plan for action is to assume that the site will definitely be dealing with such conditions sometime during its lifecycle.

Silicon Ranch will be present at the Solarplaza Summit Asset Management North America conference that will take place on April 13-14 in San Diego, California. Its ninth edition will look into the solar outlook, market dynamics, storage asset management, operation and maintenance (O&M) optimisation, solar insurance, and the Inflation Reduction Act's (IRA) projected impact on a variety of sector activities, in addition to the topics mentioned above.

Tibbs herself will be discussing how to effectively tackle solar asset underperformance. Her colleague ​​Nick de Vries, SVP of Technology & Asset Management at Silicon Ranch, will be attending the conference to share his experience with agrivoltaics.

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