ENERGY SECURITY: STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES FOR SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC INSTALLATIONS INCLUDING TECHNICAL PLAN TO TRANSITION SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC PLANT MAINTENANCE TO BE PERFORMED IN-HOUSE FOR AIRPORTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Establishing renewable energy technologies as a viable long-term strategy for developing countries calls for the documentation of learnings from previous installations and the establishment of an in-house maintenance team for conducting regular maintenance and operations. Documentation of learnings from past installations is necessary to ensure profitable transactions in relation to the logistics of the plant equipment and spares, labour for installation, and design of plant and associated systems. The documentation of learnings should extend to the operations of the plant to mitigate certain undesirable effects at design stage that could not otherwise be foreseen. These un desirable effects include site conditions, testing, operational disruptions, and security. Gradual but certain establishment of an in -house maintenance team is key to better plant performance, plant longevity and ensuring the validity of original equipment manufacturer's guarantees and warranties. This paper presents the standards and guidelines relating to technical aspects of the solar photovoltaic installations at airports in South Africa and the proposed and supported plan for transitioning the maintenance of all plants to be performed in-house.