Smart O&M Solutions: Kiwa ExTEL Unlocks New Value in Green Energy
Mr. Paul Chiang, Director of Kiwa ExTEL, was invited to speak at a forum jointly organized by the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and the Taiwan Photovoltaic Industry Association.
Dec 6, 2024
With global demand for renewable energy on the rise, the solar industry is becoming a cornerstone of the world’s net-zero transition. Taiwan has already installed 13 GW of solar capacity and is advancing toward its 2030 goal of 30 GW. But with a solar farm’s life span averaging 25 years, ensuring stable operation and high generation efficiency throughout that period—while controlling operational costs—presents significant challenges. As a leading third-party technical service provider, Kiwa ExTEL has continued to deliver cutting-edge inspection technologies in recent years, helping clients boost power generation performance and secure investment returns through intelligent operations and maintenance (O&M) services.
At a recent forum co-hosted by the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and the Taiwan Photovoltaic Industry Paul Chiang, Director of Kiwa ExTEL, shared insights into the growing role of smart O&M. According to Chiang, solar PV plants face diverse and complex challenges, including natural hazards (like typhoons, flooding, and dust accumulation), equipment aging (degradation, power loss, and hotspot effects), and environmental damage (such as rodent-related cable faults).
He emphasized that the diversity of solar installations—rooftop, floating, or ground-mounted—often located in remote, dispersed areas, makes traditional O&M methods increasingly inadequate. Issues like manpower allocation and cleaning logistics are increasingly difficult to manage. Smart O&M solutions have thus become essential to address these operational pain points.
Real-World Cases Show Smart O&M Impact
In one project example, a solar farm experienced significant variation in performance across zones after several years in operation. Kiwa ExTEL conducted on-site power sampling (WiS) and used electroluminescence (EL) testing to identify degraded modules. This enabled the client to file successful claims with the module manufacturer and replace faulty units—restoring original power output.
In a second case, an entire site suffered a drop in generation efficiency 3–5 years post-commissioning. Using drone-based thermal imaging, the Kiwa ExTEL O&M team quickly located numerous offline strings. The root cause was corroded and burnt MC4 connectors, resulting from poor installation practices. After repairs, system efficiency improved by 10–15%.
These examples illustrate how advanced diagnostics—thermal imaging, WiS, and EL—are playing an increasingly critical role in intelligent solar O&M.
Automated Monitoring and AI-Powered Alerts
Kiwa ExTEL is also empowering clients with automated monitoring tools. Its data-driven notification system instantly alerts plant managers and technicians via LINE push notifications in the event of outages or abnormal performance, reducing troubleshooting time and minimizing generation losses.
Dust Monitoring to Optimize Cleaning and Efficiency
Paul also addressed inefficiencies in traditional cleaning schedules. “Most plants clean panels at fixed intervals, regardless of actual soiling levels—this wastes resources or leads to power loss from overdue cleanings,” he said.
To address this, Kiwa ExTEL developed its proprietary DAS 2.0 Smart Soiling Monitoring System, adaptable to all types of solar farms. It provides real-time dust accumulation and power loss metrics via a dedicated web interface, helping owners prioritize cleaning schedules based on actual site conditions. More than 200 DAS 2.0 systems have been installed across Taiwan, with expansion into markets such as the Philippines—now monitoring over 2 GW of capacity globally.
A Trusted Third-Party Partner for Smarter Energy
Paul concluded by highlighting Kiwa ExTEL’s in-house O&M team, which combines field experience with third-party objectivity to deliver trusted maintenance solutions. “We’ve earned strong client trust by consistently delivering actionable insights and efficient services,” he said.
Looking ahead, Kiwa ExTEL is committed to advancing smart O&M technologies and promoting digital, intelligent management in the renewable energy sector. As a third-party service provider, the company aims to play a greater role as a reliable partner in the clean energy transition.
Reporter: Commercial Times - Bonnie Chen