We are in the era of technology and every first person talks about Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Data Analytics (DA), Data Science (DS) and Big Data etc. By the way its also needs to understand from where we start and where we end up with? As an Asset management Venture, we hereby put forward certain facts which really interesting. When something comes as a new technology that simply spread faster than gale and of course that the good thing as well. But at the same time in the Industry the hard skills cannot be replaced with soft skills. Yes using soft skills the hard skilled work can be optimized, expedited and put as SOP so that semi-skilled people can also work on that.
So if we look to the above chart, which is the realistic situation as of now (Excluding some exceptions). Though there are good realtime notification is available still the report time is very much higher because of higher amount of unrealistic alarms assessment of that and final reporting. Here the human error is also there where either operator overlooked or messed up with large amount of data. The Alarm systems are actually designed to trigger when their conditions are true but in Renewable energy, its mandatory to look the upstream system also. For an example if one MV switchgear gets out of the operation, naturally the downstream equipments shall also be having trigger of alarm because their limit triggered. So principally the alarming system is not independent but its interdependent. This is a key feature which needs to add into the monitoring system.
Once the problem has been reported next is response time which usually possible to optimize if the following information important
a. The population of predefined list of tools and Tackles needed for the fault resolutions.
b. The Procedure of fault resolution
c. The Most Important things is Method Statement and Risk Assessment while working on any kind of energy system (Electrical Energy or Mechanical Energy or any other energy)
d. The List of possible spares required to resolve the event.
e. The Faster and interactive procedure
If the soft system helps to facilitates the these functions, of course the workforce shall be able to reduce the time Report and Response by at least 20% and 10% respectively. These data are based on real experience. If a workforce really able to manage above said activity surely it’s a saving of 30% in Total Turn Around time for an Event.
Further the most key things are as following.
a. How much Resolution time taken by a small event?
b. How Many such small events are there?
c. Why small events are not closed on within minimum possible time?
d. Was there need of specific spare which was not there?
e. How the non-availability of spare has been handled?
Off course there are manual and automatic ways available to handle but are they effective or not and this is a question. Further You may decide how and where are your asset operator and what system they use.
Usually for small event like repair of strings in solar plants the operator has a plan to repair them when they are more than a specific level. This way they actually optimize their cost of operation but creates the energy loss for the asset Owner.
Above table is an example of direct calculation in terms of numbers. The number of String down may be more than written above if the plat capacity is larger. This is an example for directly failure of string. This surely reflected to Asset Operator and surely repaired next day but there is another side this i.e. lower performance but not significant.
In the Above scenario each string deliver just 2% less then the other strings. So the point comes as following
1. Does it really a defect or just measurement error?
2. How to troubleshoot it?
3. Even if the fault recognized how to handle this fault?
4. If such defects are existing who will remain responsible for resolution?
5. What shall be the IRR if we invest the money?