Delfos Avoids Hidden Fault and Ensures 480 MWh Generation at Solar Plant

Context

During the regular operation of a solar plant, the Delfos Performance Engineering team identified an anomaly: three string boxes associated with the INV5.1.4 inverter (Ingecon) were operating outside the expected standards. The fault, if not detected in time, could lead to a substantial loss of power generation, compromising the plant's performance and financial results.

The absence of automatic alarms from SCADA or other traditional systems highlighted the importance of an advanced monitoring solution.

Implemented Solution

Based on data extracted from the Delfos platform, including historical and comparative power information, the technical team identified a significantly lower generation pattern in the INV5.1.4 inverter compared to the others in the same group.

The graphs showed:

• A PR (Performance Ratio) far below the average of the other inverters (above 90).
• A difference of more than 20 percentage points in the PR deviation from the group average.
• Visibly lower total active power throughout the day, reinforcing the suspicion that part of the string boxes were inoperative.
  
  

Faced with this evidence, the performance team issued a technical alert requesting a field inspection.

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Results Achieved

The rapid response of the O&M team enabled the three string boxes identified as inactive to be restored, thus avoiding an estimated loss of 480 MWh of generation.

The corrective action, enabled by the Delfos platform, resulted in:

• Avoidance of approximately 480 MWh of lost generation
• Fast and targeted resolution by the field team
• Preservation of the plant's operational performance
  

Conclusion

Delfos' actions were decisive for the plant's operational integrity. The proactive identification of hidden faults and the delivery of actionable insights enabled the immediate recovery of assets, avoiding significant energy losses. This case reinforces Delfos' strategic value in anticipating failures and maximizing the performance of solar plants.

• 480 MWh of loss avoided
• 3 string boxes restored from critical underperformance
• Deviation of -20.53 p.p. in the PR identified by the system
• 100% assertiveness in identifying the cause of the fault

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