In one
Renewable Energy Plant, the cash flow generated by selling the electricity
produced is mostly the ROI (indifferent if it is by Feed-in-Tariff or by PPA
contract).
From this
electricity produced we have to make the reduction of O&M. Right now, there
are some innovative systems to reduce the cost of this O&M process. In
internet, there is the possibility to find helicopters which gets a thermographic camera to check the state of connectors and panels. At the same
time, there is the possibility for getting systems which are able to clean the PV
panels. In wind farms there is a device which analyze by a microwave scanner
the material composition of the blades.
From the
points mentioned in the first two paragraphs, we also know there is a great
advance in the robotic engineering, is well known the ASIMO from Honda which
can bring a cup of tea and let it on the table. Another example is the high
technology of the robots of the detonation of explosives which are working time ago.
My
proposal, as an occurrence after watching, some days ago, the devices used
after landing of the "CHINA SPACE" agency in the Moon, is simple. Of
course I am not an expert in the O&M of the Renewable Energy industry for
knowing the top subjects for O&M for every kind of technology, but for sure, may be, there is a common points in mostly
cases.
The
proposal would be the possibility for creating
an automatic systems which would be able to optimize the process of
O&M in the Renewable Energies.
As a
example, it would be possible a robot which makes the O&M in one PV Plant, I
am not an expert but, one system which would be able to be controlled remotely
for making the basic operations; reviewing with a thermographic camera the
panels and connections, has the possibility for changing any fuse or control board in the combiner boxes. This system, at the same time can make the security
control of the plant with some incorporated cameras, moving by the Plant
controlling possible not authorized access. Why not, also being a
meteorological station, a camera for getting a view of the state of the sky in
the plant, and of course, considering, the energy of the system is taken by the
PV Plant. Even, there is the possibility for making any transportation to other
plants optimizing the device in case the investor has more than one plant.
On the
other hand, I don't know if we can make any similar proposal for Wind Energy
Farms, making in the onshore case, a similar device to travel from every wind
turbine, access to every tower and get on the
lift to the nacelle and review the most important points. Of course, if there
is an study of the main O&M points of the Wind turbine, there is the
possibility for optimizing the device for being able to make the most important
actions. And, why not the same situation for offshore Wind Farms, which the
helicopter used in the example but just adapted with the capacity for moving
this device from every wind turbine in the offshore farm and also, keeping
this helicopter in the primary substation center with an small wind turbine for
its supplying. May be aslo a submarine for controlling the state of the wind turbine bases.
May be, there is no sense what I am saying, but
I think the only way for getting any future to the PV Energy,
it is optimizing the cost. Right now, as a example, in Spain PV profit is almost 4 times lower than Wind Energy.
It would be one company investing in a device
which at the end it would be for all plants and then optimizing the investment
of the design and production of this device and of course giving a benefit to the
O&M responsible, and getting the properly ROI to continue considering PV
Energy as a profit business.
It would be very greatefull to receive inputs regarding the information exposed
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