Steve Williams, Managing Director of Clean Solar Solutions has released v1.0 of the Solar Trade Association (STA) Rooftop O&M Best Practice Guidelines at Solar Quality 2020. Solar Quality 2020 is a prominent solar industry event that is jointly hosted by the STA and Solar Power Europe.
What Are The STA Rooftop O&M Best Practice Guidelines?
The STA Rooftop O&M Best Practice Guidelines discuss issues which are relevant to maintaining the condition and efficiency of roof-mounted solar power systems. O&M is the largest cost in the life of a solar PV installation, beyond the initial installation, and the STA hopes the Guidelines will support all involved in the solar industry to generate maximum value from their systems.
The Rooftop O&M Guidelines are not a certification document, and the intention is not to try and compel solar rooftop O&M companies to abide by its contents. Rather, as professionals committed to improving standards in the UK solar industry, this is our view on best practice for safe working that can help ensure solar PV systems are appropriately monitored and maintained.
The Guidelines cover suggested training requirements and key issues relating to safe roof access and design, panel cleaning, and fault identification and monitoring. They also include suggested checklists for maintenance tasks, and provide information on warranty claims. The Guidelines comment throughout on health, safety, and training. This is of paramount importance, for the obvious reason that maintaining rooftop systems requires working at height.
What Role Have Clean Solar Solutions Played In Producing The Rooftop O&M Best Practice Guidelines?
Clean Solar Solutions Managing Director Steve Williams was asked to be Chair of the Rooftop O&M Working Group due to his wide experience of the O&M sector in the U.K., Europe and further afield in places such as Mexico and Australia. With over 25 years of experience of working at height, coupled with his expert knowledge of the O&M industry, Steve was well-positioned to guide the gathered information into a finshed document. Steve wrote the Access, Training & Cleaning sections of the Guidelines and other sections of the document were written by experts from across the U.K. O&M industry.
Steve released the document at the online Solar Quality event, hosted jointly by the STA and Solar Power Europe. He also chaired a panel discussion from key contributors of the Guidelines showcasing some of the highlghts of the docuemtn to the wider European solar industry.
As a result of Steve’s involvement, Clean Solar Solutions will abide as far as possible in their current capacity to comply with the guidance given in the Rooftop O&M Best Practice Guidelines. Whilst we adhere to the highest safety standards for working at height, we are also seeking to raise our O&M standards in regards to widening our rooftop O&M offering to our clients in a professional manner.
What Will V2.0 Of The STA Rooftop O&M Guidelines Look Like?
As with all industries, technologies and working approaches evolve and move forward. Therefore, V2.0 will continue the theme of having all rooftop O&M carried out based on detailed case-by-case planning and in consultation with solar industry professionals. This will continue to be the best way to ensure that a rooftop PV system is operated safely, and as effectively as possible.
This will help the STA develop industry knowledge and expectations further, and contribute to a safe and successful rooftop O&M industry. Clean Solar Solutions intend to do their part by continuing to be a flagship rooftop O&M company across Europe.
Please contact us for more information about our rooftop O&M services.
You must be logged in to post a comment.