Floating photovoltaic (FPV) systems are emerging as a promising solution to the scarcity of suitable land for ground-mounted solar PV (GPV) installations. By the end of 2022, global FPV capacity reached 5.7 GWp following a remarkable compound annual growth rate of approximately 87.5% from 2015 to 2022. This growth introduces a significant new frontier for operation and maintenance (O&M) practices in the solar industry. As the industry matures and more FPV assets come under operation, the need for innovative, efficient, and environmentally sensitive O&M strategies becomes imperative. This review presents the existing information on the O&M of FPV systems, highlighting the unique challenges and opportunities that set FPV systems apart from conventional GPV installations. Through an examination of recent advancements, best practices, and areas requiring further research, this study aims to provide valuable insights for optimizing the performance and sustainability of FPV systems.

Data-driven operation and maintenance (O&M) schemes are needed to secure efficient operation through the full lifetime of a photovoltaic (PV) power plant. In this study, we expand the capabilities of an analytics platform for data-driven O&M by proposing a method for the detection of permanently activated bypass diodes from PV plant monitoring data. The new method is based on a step detection algorithm developed and employed on historical power monitoring data from a 75-MWp dc PV plant. The results are correlated with active bypass diodes detected by an infrared thermography (IRT) scan performed after 5 years of operation. A stepwise drop in normalized yield is detected for 54.6% of string sets with one active bypass diode. The same is only detected in 1% of string sets with no detected IRT signatures. By replacing modules affected by IRT signatures, the detected power loss is recovered, a strong validation of the method. The novelty of the approach is fault detection of small losses with no extra sensor requirements and that through precise detection of the onset of active diode faults, the historical fault rates can be determined with high time resolution.

The degradation of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules over time, which are aggravated by defects, significantly affects the performance of utility-scale PV parks. This study presents a quantitative assessment of the power loss from module defects and evaluates the cost-effectiveness of replacing defective modules at various stages of degradation. A module test site was established in Norway with six different defects, and continuous thermographic monitoring, combined with light IV measurements and electroluminescence (EL) imaging, provides partial support for further calculations on the long-term effects of the defects. The cumulative module energy loss is calculated over a 25-year park lifespan under both Norwegian and Chilean environmental conditions, with the latter representing higher solar irradiation levels. The energy gain from replacing the defective modules at various stages of degradation is compared to the costs of replacement, both for infant-life failures and mid-life failures. It is likely not beneficial to replace minor infant-life defects of 1% power loss in low-irradiation regions like Norway. For Chilean conditions, it can be cost-effective, but primarily if the module is replaced around mid park life, which gives a larger yield when replaced with a new module. For more severe defects of 10% loss, the replacement gain is above the replacement cost for high-irradiation locations, and replacing the 33% power loss defect is cost-effective for both locations, even when discovered late in the park lifetime. It is primarily beneficial to replace mid-life defects in high-irradiation locations.

Photovoltaic (PV) modules with thermal signatures can be detected by infrared thermography (IRT) and the resulting power loss from these modules can be estimated through analysis of corresponding energy yield time series data. In the present work, we combine these methods to analyze the effect of PV module degradation modes on the overall energy generation in a 75 MWp PV power plant. We find that 0.2% of the PV modules are affected by thermal signatures after 5 years of operation and that the thermal signatures lead to a 0.06% reduction in power plant yield. We calculate a payback time of the IRT scan and subsequent replacement of modules affected by thermal signatures of more than 10 years for the investigated power plant. However, the power loss associated with thermal signatures seems to develop nonlinearly over time. This underlines the importance of continuous, long-term monitoring: it enables monitoring of performance in relation to warranty limits and supports prioritization of replacement actions required for cost-effective operations and maintenance strategies. This information is also required to understand PV module degradation modes, their time dependence and their dependence on module technology and climates.

The degradation of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules over time, aggravated by defects, significantly affects the performance of utility-scale PV parks. This study presents a quantitative assessment of the power loss from module defects, and evaluates the cost-effectiveness of replacing defective modules at various stages of degradation. A module test site was established in Norway with six different defects, and continuous thermographic monitoring, combined with light IV measurements and electroluminescence (EL) imaging, provides partial support for further calculations on the long-term effects of the defects. The cumulative module energy loss is calculated over a 25-year park lifespan under both Norwegian and Chilean environmental conditions, the latter representing higher solar irradiation levels. The energy gain from replacing the defective modules at various stages of degradation is compared to the costs of replacement, both for infant-life failures and mid-life failures. Minor infant-life defects of 1\% power loss are likely not beneficial to replace in low-irradiation regions like Norway. For Chilean conditions it can be cost-effective, but primarily if the module is replaced around mid park life, which gives a larger yield when replaced with a new module. For more severe defects of 10\% loss the replacement gain is above the replacement cost for high-irradiation locations, and replacing the 33\% power loss defect is cost-effective for both locations, even when discovered late in the park lifetime. Mid-life defects are primarily beneficial to replace in high-irradiation locations.