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4 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | JULY 26, 2021 By: Robert Hauk, ENCON A mong the renewable energy sources, solar energy is a major source of electricity today, fulfi lling almost 175+ GW of energy requirements globally. On a yearly basis, solar energy production is increasing by 35% annually. A typical solar system consists of photovoltaic cells, inverters, wiring, and potentially storage ba eries. With the passage of time, each component will deteriorate and will require replacement. Failure to do so can and will a€ ect the performance of the array. This deterioration can be caused by both internal and external factors. To make the e… ciency and performance of your solar system consistent, it is necessary to maintain the complete system and replace damaged and degraded components as quickly as possible. It is very possible to see overall production of a solar system drop by nearly 20% if the components are not monitored and replaced in a timely fashion. To evaluate the performance of a solar system, there is a need for an accurate and real-time monitoring system to confi rm its output. It must be capable of minimizing the plant shutdown time to minimize power breakdown issues. (Ejgar, Momin, & Ganu, 2017) Solar Monitoring Systems There are di€ erent monitoring platforms available for real-time tracking, recording ,and performance analysis of solar plants. For accurate performance monitoring, algorithms in the platform indicate whenever the solar system falls below a predefi ned threshold of baseline values. Additionally, the system will trace and indicate the faults in the circuit so that repair of the solar system can be done immediately. (Baklouti, Mifdal, Dellagi, & Chelbi, 2020) Continuous proactive monitoring of systems can help identify underperforming components and faults in circuits. Along with the monitoring, there must be some routine inspections carried out to visually Monitoring & Maintaining Your Solar Investment With ENCON inspect the array. A typical maintenance plan from Encon would include: • Monitoring, Analysis and Alert Triage • Vegetation control around your array • Corrective maintenance and system repairs • Warranty service coordination • Detailed inspection of the ba eries based on OEM recommendations • Quarterly production and maintenance reports How Can Encon Help Encon is Connecticut's leader in solar monitoring & maintenance. We pride ourselves on being able to proactively assist our energy clients in keeping their investments producing a positive return on investment. With a full team of technical experts and monitoring system integrations, we are ready to serve. "It is very possible to see overall production of a solar system drop by nearly 20% if the components are not monitored and replaced in a timely fashion." 1 2 6 5 W o o d e n d R d , S t r a t f o r d , C T 0 6 6 1 5 | 2 0 3 - 6 8 3 - 4 9 9 8 goencon.com SPONSORED CONTENT