Key Takeaways

• Solar panels are made of materials like glass, aluminum, copper, and semiconductors commonly found in consumer electronics.
• Solar panels are designed for durability, but in the event of breakage, damaged panels are typically identified, removed, and replaced. A polymer sealant holds glass in place to help prevent shatter and scatter in the case of damage.
• The two most used solar cells in the U.S. are: Crystalline Silicon (c-Si) at 79% of new utility-scale capacity added in 2024,1 followed by Thin-Film Cadmium Telluride (CdTe).2 Risk assessments indicate that both c-Si and CdTe panels pose minimal risk to human health in normal conditions or if panels are damaged.
• Decommissioning plans are designed to return land hosting a solar project to a useful, productive condition at the end of a project’s operating life.

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Key takeaways include:

• Lubricant selectionÌýmust align with turbine design, operating conditions, and OEM standards to ensure long-term reliability.
• Condition monitoring enables predictive maintenance and supports extended oil drain intervals.
• Standardized sampling and analysisÌýpractices are critical for accurate diagnostics and fleetwide data consistency.
• Fleetwide lubrication managementÌýcan reduce downtime, optimize costs, and support data-driven decision-making.
• Advanced sensor technologiesÌý(e.g., wear debris and oil quality sensors) offer real-time insights into mechanical and lubricant health

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Key takeaways:

• Inverters are the component on solar sites for power conversion and control, making reliability a critical factor.
• Technical drivers include component quality, grid code compliance, cybersecurity, and thermal management.
• Financial modeling must weigh CapEx against long-term OpEx, warranties, and bankability impacts.
• Strong procurement strategies and O&M feedback loops improve availability and reduce lifecycle costs.

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ACP’s Wind Performance Committee has developed Recommended Practices for Wind Turbine Blades to provide detailed recommendations for wind turbine blade maintenance, bringing forth the clean energy industry’s best practices for inspection, transportation, repair, and maintenance. It is designed to support asset owners, operators, third-party service providers, and maintenance personnel in optimizing blade longevity and performance.

Attendees will learn:

• Major aspects of wind turbine blade maintenance, from initial inspections and transportation considerations to repair strategies and long-term maintenance planning
• External and internal blade inspections, preventive maintenance techniques, and structural repair methods, ensuring a holistic approach to blade care

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This fact sheets provides details on how these systems are tested and vetted, certified, and ultimately built to comply with the nation’s leading safety standards.

Battery energy storage technologies are built to enhance electric grid security and reliability, reliably powering homes and businesses by performing during critical high stress periods, and delivering power to the grid during blizzards or heat waves.

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This Recommended Practice provides detailed recommendations for wind turbine blade maintenance, bringing forth the clean energy industry’s best practices for inspection, transportation, repair, and maintenance. It is designed to support asset owners, operators, third-party service providers, and maintenance personnel in optimizing blade longevity and performance.

The document encompasses all major aspects of wind turbine blade maintenance, from initial inspections and transportation considerations to repair strategies and long-term maintenance planning. It covers both external and internal blade inspections, preventive maintenance techniques, and structural repair methods, ensuring a holistic approach to blade care. Additionally, safety procedures and technician skill requirements are outlined to support safe work practices.

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This checklist is a guide for reference and is not a procedure. Each site has different equipment, ratings, and configurations that would require the use of a site-specific procedure. Solid dielectric, plastic, and rubber-based materials under voltage stress in access of 3kV/mm (volts per thickness) fail due to an erosion process associated with a capacitive discharge phenomena known as partial discharge (PD).

For further information on testing, refer to ACP’sÌýWind and Solar Underground AC Collection System Cable TestingÌýresource.

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Over the last decade or more, a rise in accessory failures on wind and solar farms has been documented, indicating that despite the engineering design, they are prematurely failing. Yet, at the same time, utility applications were not seeing the same increase in failures. Many of the manufacturers have instigated studies to determine why.

ACP’s Wind Performance Committee developed the Splice Body and Termination Playbook with the intent to provide guidance and analysis for splices at renewable energy facilities. This playbook provides an overview of the types of accessories and couplings that connect to a cable, a failure analysis of lower performance splices, and designs for joint body re-creation.

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The document covers the wind turbine drivetrain ecosystem, monitoring systems, and maintenance practices, with particular emphasis on gearbox intricacies. Understanding these systems is essential for maximizing energy production, extending equipment life, and reducing downtime.

Developed by the 91ÖÆƬ³§ Association’s Drivetrain Working Group, the playbook provides practical guidance for daily gearbox operations, including common troubleshooting scenarios and solutions. The working group draws on decades of expertise from wind and other industries to help technicians, engineers, and managers improve wind project reliability and performance.

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