Wiring and connectors still No. 1 reason for solar project failures, report finds

HelioVolta

HelioVolta, the developer of SolarGrade field operations software and a provider of independent technical services for renewable energy assets, has released its second annual SolarGrade PV Health Report. The report highlights findings from over 100,000 PV system data points that were gathered with the SolarGrade mobile app during site visits by field engineers on hundreds of projects in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

Key findings from the 2024 SolarGrade PV Health Report include:

• 72% of inspections identified safety and reliability issues that required urgent remediation.
• 11% of inspections found critical safety issues requiring total or partial de-energization, resulting in system downtime and financial losses.
• Wiring and connectors generate more problems than any other PV system component, with issues found in 83% of projects inspected.
• The vast majority of issues identified in operational systems could be avoided with independent construction QA/QC and thorough O&M protocols.

“The SolarGrade report is a wake-up call for the industry, but the data shows that the majority of safety issues we encounter are preventable with the right tools, practices and a strong emphasis on education and training,” said Ryan Mayfield, founder and SME of Mayfield Renewables. “Investing in comprehensive training programs is essential to equip professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to ensure safety and excellence in solar installations.”

While these statistics may be alarming, the report’s findings show that asset owners and managers can readily address PV safety and reliability challenges. A two-part solution is required: first, installers and field technicians must have the right tools to find and monitor safety and reliability issues, and then they must objectively assess the risk of each issue. With accurate, timely information from the field, managers can implement appropriate remediation plans.

“Clear, standardized communication around risk is essential. When technicians, operators and managers define terms like ‘minor’ and ‘major’ inconsistently, genuine risks are overlooked until they progress into damaging safety events,” said David Penalva, co-founder and CEO of HelioVolta. “The SolarGrade platform helps ensure that problems are accurately identified and dealt with before they lead to significant failures that are costly and dangerous.”

Building on the foundation of the inaugural report, this year’s report introduces a detailed matrix for calculating risk in the field used by HelioVolta’s field engineers. A mobile-ready matrix is also available free online for use in the field, further enhancing the tools available to solar professionals.

This year’s edition offers a deeper analysis of PV system quality by incorporating data from construction quality control and commissioning inspections for the first time. Construction crews can leverage these findings to reduce rework during construction.

“We share field intelligence from SolarGrade to help developers, EPCs, O&M providers and asset owners optimize processes and prevent costly failures, but our ultimate goal is to empower them to collect and act on their own site data,” said James Nagel, co-founder and COO of HelioVolta. “As we face the growing urgency of the climate crisis, it’s essential to build clean energy assets that both perform and endure.”

News item from HelioVolta and SolarGrade