FTC unveils tracker-agnostic software to enhance solar plant performance

FTC Solar SUNOPS software

A new, first-of-its-kind software is providing a holistic view of solar plant performance by monitoring and analyzing all operating asset data.

With solar accounting for 54% of all new electricity-generating capacity additions in the first quarter of 2023, it’s important to keep sites up and running efficiently to continue this trajectory. In a bold leap forward, solar tracker provider FTC Solar Inc. has launched SUNOPS — a differentiated cloud-based PV asset monitoring solution poised to redefine solar asset performance management.

Driven by FTC Solar’s deep tracker domain expertise, the tracker-agnostic SUNOPS software offers a holistic view of plant operation, analyzing most facets of PV plant performance. In addition, the solution empowers operations and maintenance (O&M) teams, asset management leaders, and performance engineers with actionable insights to enhance energy generation across their solar deployments.

“Tracker data is not always easy to get access to.” said Imran Hassan, the director of technical operations of ACT Power Services, one of the first beta users for the program. “The cloud-based SUNOPS platform saves my team time by allowing us to access the information I need when I need it.” 

Unlike traditional approaches focusing mainly on inverter analytics, SUNOPS considers other factors like advanced tracking algorithms and appropriate tracker stowing for extreme weather events. The software uses this data to effectively determine the root cause of underperformance, offering quick and accurate solutions to improve plant efficiency. SUNOPS provides a range of key features designed to empower users in optimizing solar plant performance, including:

Precision Assessments:: SUNOPS provides a first-of-its-kind tracker health assessment down to a single table, innovating site performance evaluation. Better tracker insights translate to improved plant performance and energy production.

Actionable Insights: Going beyond conventional methods, SUNOPS leverages advanced tracker analytics. Field teams gain real-time insights, enabling proactive issue resolution to reduce energy losses. SUNOPS’s foresight in issue detection before dispatch improves uptime and leads to operational cost savings.

Easy to Navigate: Accessible via an intuitive and secure cloud-based interface, SUNOPS offers streamlined portfolio data access, eliminating hours spent working with systems of individual sites. It offers live site monitoring, historical performance tracking, and issue prioritization, changing the landscape in solar asset management with actionable, data-driven decision-making.

Derived from FTC’s global track record of successfully deploying over 4.5GW of tracker projects, SUNOPS can empower solar plants worldwide to achieve optimal performance. 

“SUNOPS will revolutionize solar plant operations and empower field teams to make informed decisions swiftly to maximize energy production and minimize operational disruptions,” said Andrew Morse, senior director of software at FTC Solar.

FTC Solar will debut SUNOPS at RE+ North America at the Venetian Conference & Expo Center in Las Vegas on Sept. 11-14.

— Solar Builder magazine

[source: https://solarbuildermag.com/operations-maintenance/ftc-unveils-tracker-agnostic-software-to-enhance-solar-plant-performance/]

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