DNV calls for minimum standards for maintenance protocols

Norwegian quality assurance and risk management company DNV has launched a project to get the solar industry to jointly agree on minimum standards for maintenance protocols. While DNV believes there is a clear trend toward more professional maintenance, there is still a long way to go. The goal, according to DNV, is predictive maintenance. » Unlike traditional preventative (visiting sites at regular intervals) or corrective (repair) maintenance approaches, predictive maintenance is carried out only when a fault is expected and before it occurs – thereby optimizing the costs associated with on-site maintenance,« a DNV statement reads. The joint industry project (JIP) now aims to improve predictive maintenance models based on machine learning by introducing standardized maintenance protocols.
The project consists of several work packages, including coordination, definition of standards for maintenance protocols, implementation in running PV plants, development of predictive maintenance models based on the protocols, and analysis of the results – with the goal of reaching a final agreement on the format of the maintenance protocols.
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