Congratulations on making solar your new business partner. Going solar will allow you to enjoy a range of benefits. Apart from getting complete control over your electricity needs, you will also cut costs and reduce your carbon footprint. Going solar also offers more reliability and value for your money.
Having commercial solar power in Kenya will also increase the resale value of your property. However, you have to maintain your solar panels to enjoy all the benefits. Solar panel maintenance is crucial and will enable your business to realize its goals. Well maintained solar panels will power your business for the next 25+ years.
Today, we will be discussing why solar panel maintenance is the secret to helping your business realize cost savings from going solar.
1. Solar Panel Maintenance Enhances Efficiency
There is no doubt that technological advancements have improved the efficiency of solar panels. Solar panel efficiency refers to the ability to convert sunlight into electricity. Enhanced solar panel efficiency helps business owners to realize cost savings. Above all, commercial solar power in Kenya provides a reliable energy supply.
The efficiency of most solar products at the moment is around 15% to 18%. The more efficient your solar panel is the more cost savings for your business. Unfortunately, weather impacts solar panels’ efficiency, and it is impossible to control the weather.
Nevertheless, regular solar maintenance can enhance efficiency, hence more power generation. Businesses can store additional power for use on days with low irradiance.
2. Improves Longevity
Typically, solar panels can last for more than 25 years. When well maintained, your solar panels will still work at total capacity in the next 20 years. Thanks to technological advancements, the life expectancy of solar panels has increased drastically over the years.
What is more, manufacturers and solar companies such as Jesaton are backing their products with warranties and flexible lease contracts. These arrangements allow clients to grow and enjoy cost savings for a very long time.
Like any other asset, your solar panels are susceptible to normal wear and tear and environmental conditions. If you fail to observe routine maintenance, they are likely to reduce power output after some time. This is known as the degradation rate and is usually around 0.5% per year. As such, your solar panels will be generating electricity at about 90% of their total capacity.
On the other hand, clearing debris and other materials on your solar panels and observing routine maintenance will go a long way towards ensuring that your panels are performing at their optimal capacity for the longest time thus help you benefit from commercial solar power in Kenya.
3. Better Solar Energy Storage
Unfortunately, solar panels can’t generate power when the sun is not shining. Further, your peak energy use might come during the evening hours when there is no sunlight. This means that you are likely to deal with a limited power supply during your peak hours.
Fortunately, you can always turn to solar energy storage to store enough power for use on days with low irradiance and hours with no sunlight. Maintaining your solar panels and energy storage modules will improve their efficiency. As a result, you won’t have to use an expensive source of energy as a backup. This will cut down your backup electricity cost.
4. Guaranteed Reliability
Power interruptions in the country are a daily norm. Businesses lose so much money since these routine power outages hinder production and everyday operations. Going solar is the key to reducing electricity costs for your business.
However, your solar panels will not generate enough power if you fail to maintain them. Routine solar panel maintenance will improve their efficiency and energy production. You can store the additional energy for use on days with power outages.
Moreover, you will have complete control over your energy needs. What is more, you don’t have to spend a fortune on expensive backup options with commercial solar power in Kenya.
5. Identify Issues Early On
Routine solar panel maintenance can also help you cut costs by allowing you to spot critical issues before they get out of hand. For instance, you might be able to spot damaging items and debris on your ground-mounted photovoltaic solar panels before it is too late. You will also know when to lift the solar panels off the ground before they suffer water damage.
The same goes for your roof-mounted solar panels. With routine maintenance, you can spot loose fitting before your solar panels are blown away by the wind. Identifying all these significant issues early on will go a long way towards helping you to avoid paying a fortune on unnecessary repairs.
Commercial solar power in Kenya : Maintenance Tips to Help You Cut Costs
Now that you know how routine solar panel maintenance can help your business cut costs, it is time to discuss common solar maintenance tips. Although high quality solar panels are designed to serve you for years, they still need routine maintenance and cleaning to achieve optimal performance required for commercial solar power in Kenya.
Apart from helping you to cut costs, routine solar maintenance will also save you time and increase the life expectancy of your solar farm. Read on to discover standard solar panel maintenance that you should be conducting.
1. Solar Panel Cleaning
Your solar panels generate electricity by absorbing light from the sun. Unfortunately, the accumulation of debris and dirt on your solar panels results in reduced performance. That is why you should clean your solar panels regularly to clear dirt and debris on the surface of the panels.
A clean solar panel will absorb as much light as possible and operate at high levels. This means you will always have enough energy supply to power your business.
2. Performance Check
Conducting a regular performance checked will help you know if your solar panels are performing at optimal levels. It helps you identify solar panels that aren’t performing as expected early on.
This way, you don’t have to rely on the national grid. You will also gain complete control over your energy needs, thereby cutting costs.
3. Wiring Maintenance
Most people focus on the solar panels themselves and forget crucial parts like wiring. Solar panel wiring is susceptible to damage due to critters and standard wear and tear.
Regular wiring maintenance helps you identify wiring issues early on before they become significant problems. This will save you money in future.
4. Surge Protection
As is the case with all electrical components, your solar panels are also susceptible to an electrical surge. Routine solar maintenance will protect your solar panels from voltage surges, thus preventing outages and downtime.
Wrapping Up
Working with a leader in commercial solar power in Kenya like Jesaton Systems is the best way to ensure that your solar panels perform at optimal levels to cut costs. Jesaton strives to help companies use solar power as the key driver for sustainable development. Send us an Email or Call +254 715 020605 for more on commercial solar power in Kenya
