Hello Phil,
Most people figure on $0.005/W, but I have not seen it actually go that high
unless the project has a lot of inverter problems or needs array cleaning
more than once a year (assuming the system was designed and installed
properly). On residential PV systems without batteries up to 10 kW, if more
than 1 hour per year is spent inspecting and cleaning, then it's tinkering,
not maintenance. Most people plug into the equation inverter replacement at
10 or 15 years. Older inverters usually did not last 10 years (except for
workhorses like the SW4048 and older Xantrex 100 kW). Newer inverters with a
solid track record (like SMA models that have been produced in the tens of
thousands) seem to be headed for a very long lifetime, but how can you be
sure when an inverter model (or solar module for that matter) has only
around for a few years? Even long-time PV module manufacturers like Kyocera,
Sanyo, BP, etc. have had serious problems. Unfortunately, first-year
inverter problems (infant mortality) are a real cost factor because of
manufacturers' enthusiastic rush-to-market and inadequate burn-in
procedures.
We could all benefit by learning more about maintenance costs. Hopefully,
Matt Lafferty, Bill Brooks, and others who have seen a lot of systems will
add to this string.
Joel Davidson
----- Original Message -----
From: "Phil Schneider" <[email protected]>
To: "RE-wrenches" <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, March 06, 2009 6:47 AM
Subject: [RE-wrenches] PV maintenance costs
I am preparing a presentation comparing PV and small wind systems. I am
interested to know what you all use for a 25-year O&M cost of a PV system
(25 kW max). Thanks!
P.
Phil Schneider
Creative Energies
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