“Modules cover snow and freeze, disrupting electricity production”… Most businesses have accident insurance
Power generation time is usually 5 hours a day, but 3.6 hours based on the calculation of profit considering weather.
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▲ A solar power plant with snow. Photo = Solar Plus |
[에너지경제신문 이원희 기자] How will solar power generation, which is greatly affected by the weather, respond to weather changes such as heavy snowfall?
The latest advanced technology is mobilized so that solar power generation can generate electricity normally even with changes in the weather. It is an old saying to use robots to perform snow removal work near the power plant. Now, when the weather change is large, even a drone is launched to check if the weather-sensitive solar panel is broken or not working properly.
This is because if snow falls a lot at once and does not melt due to freezing in the solar module, the amount of solar power generation may decrease and even breakdown.
According to the industry on the 8th, solar power generation is virtually impossible if the solar module is covered with snow. An official in the photovoltaic power generation industry said, “Snow that has fallen since the evening of the last 6th has frozen on the module and has not been generating power for a few days.”
He explained, “The solar power is installed in consideration of the weight of the snow.” However, it is said that if the snow falls and the day is so cold due to a cold wave, the snow does not clean properly.
According to industry insiders, small-scale solar power generators wait until the snow melts because the labor costs of cleaning the generator snow are higher than the benefits of solar power generation. However, large-scale solar power generators have to clear the snow because the profits from solar power generation outweigh the cost of clearing the snow. Recently, it is said that robotic arms are also used for snow removal.
If some of the solar modules do not receive sunlight properly, it may be the cause of the solar generator failure. If snow accumulates on one side of the solar module and only a part of the solar module receives light, it puts a considerable burden on the sunlight in series. This is called a hot spot effect. A solar module is a component that generates electricity from sunlight, and a solar generator is made by collecting several modules.
The industry said that it is difficult to create a hot spot effect with eyes. In the past, hot spot effects may have been a problem, but they also say that these days are not due to technological advances. According to an official in the construction industry, “the hot spot effect is created only when the snow covers a part of the module within one solar module, not the entire solar generator,” and said, “It is rare that snow accumulates on only one module and causes an abnormality.” . “With the development of the solar management system, even if there is a hot spot effect on the module, it can be checked and replaced immediately,” he said. Recently, it is said that a drone can be used to quickly detect the heat of a solar module to check module abnormalities.
The industry added, “In heavy snow, damage to facilities due to the weight of snow is fatal, so pay attention to this area and inspect facilities.”
In the case of annual solar power revenue, it is intended to reflect extreme weather events such as snow or rainy season as much as possible. When calculating solar power profitability, the generation time is usually set at an average of 3.6 hours per day. Good days develop over 5 hours, but take into account the annual average weather and make a profit of 3.6 hours.
In the case of large-scale solar power companies, the industry says that using accident insurance is one way to prepare for the rainy season and heavy snow, which can cause great damage.