The clean energy movement hit several exciting milestones in 2023, including record-setting advancements in the renewable energy sector. Reports show renewable energy now accounts for nearly one-third of global electricity production, with experts predicting that the next five years will involve the fastest growth on record for the sector.
However, as renewable energy matures, a clear picture is emerging of the complex challenges involved with developing, deploying, and maintaining renewable energy solutions. Sustaining the pace of the movement will require a strong commitment to understanding and prioritizing the steps needed to ensure the reliability of the renewable energy infrastructure.
Appreciating the problems with renewable power
Rapid innovations like those occurring in the renewable energy sector are valuable for producing momentum. When that innovation moves too fast to allow adequate testing, however, it creates challenges in the area of reliability. If those challenges are not addressed, it can lead to technology failures that turn the public against further adoption.
The technology associated with renewable energy is still relatively immature. Consequently, it can experience unexpected performance issues that result in lower levels of reliability than expected or needed.
The novelty of the technology also makes it challenging to find technicians with the experience necessary for making repairs. Recent news reports suggest the clean energy movement is outpacing the production of clean energy workers, which is leading to production, efficiency, and reliability issues.
Maintaining renewable energy equipment is also challenging due to the harsh conditions it typically must endure. High winds, salt water, storms, and ice can wreak havoc on the machinery, equipment, and structures put in place to capture renewable energy. When breakdowns occur, making repairs under those conditions is also challenging.
Increased complexity is another issue that threatens the reliability of renewable energy. Unlike coal and natural gas, renewable energy like wind and solar are variable. To make them viable, systems also must include energy storage or grids that allow for switching between various sources.
The evolving framework of regulations related to renewable energy also contributes to the complexity associated with developing and deploying it. Uncertainty about policies can discourage investors and adopters alike from committing to emerging options. Lack of clarity on regulatory obligations can also discourage investment in business initiatives that support or improve existing technology.
Addressing the problems with renewable power
Preventative maintenance is essential for supporting renewable energy production that begins with basic inspections designed to identify potential problems before they impact efficiency and reliability. Visual checks are a valuable element of preventative maintenance and often include inspecting for physical damage, corrosion, loose connections, and signs of wear and tear that can compromise performance. Thermal imaging goes one step beyond visual inspections, allowing for the detection of hotspots in machinery that could lead to mechanical failures.
Performance monitoring is another element of preventative maintenance that is valuable for preventing breakdowns. It involves systems that track energy output, charting fluctuations that could indicate component malfunctions.
Schedule maintenance is another step that helps improve the reliability of renewable energy, including the cleaning of components, which improves longevity and performance. Lubrication of moving parts and tightening of connections is also important for maximizing reliability. When components must be replaced, component testing boosts reliability by ensuring new parts are functioning properly and suitable for integration with existing systems before they are installed.
Predictive maintenance is yet another key to improving reliability, as the process involves gathering and analyzing performance data from across energy platforms to identify reliability issues before they impact energy production. Predictive maintenance empowers proactive maintenance, which allows support teams to address issues before they cause costly breakdowns and dangerous blackouts.
With predictive maintenance, data is captured by sensors that monitor temperature, vibration, power output, and other parameters in real time. Data analytics platforms leverage artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies to identify patterns, trends, and anomalies in performance. This approach can be extremely valuable in monitoring renewable energy machinery in remote locations where manual inspections are difficult to conduct.
Tapping into long-term energy reliability
The renewable energy movement is inspired in large part by a desire to tap into more reliable and virtually limitless energy sources such as wind, solar, geothermal, and hydroelectric energy. By transitioning to those sources, the long-term viability concerns associated with non-renewable fuels like oil, coal, and nuclear energy are addressed.
Adding practical reliability to the reliability provided by renewable energy’s limitless supply is the next challenge. For the energy industry, this will require an ongoing investment in developing the systems and expertise needed to support renewable energy platforms. Preventative and predictive maintenance are two pillars that can significantly contribute to enhanced reliability in the emerging renewable energy infrastructure.
