Case study · Solar
Solar Inverter Telemetry Analytics & Dynamic Soiling Wash Optimization
An independent renewable energy producer managing 420 MW of utility-scale single-axis tracking solar farms across Texas and California.
Engagement record
- Client
- Utility-scale solar operator
- Industry
- Solar
- System
- SCADA Inverter Telemetry & Soiling Wash AI
- Timeline
- 5 Weeks
About this write-up
This case study describes the engagement as recorded. The client is not named; figures and outcomes are as reported by the client and have not been independently audited.
The challenge
The operator ran 420 MW of utility-scale solar on rigid 60-day calendar washing schedules, losing 4–7% in uncaptured solar generation to dust and agricultural soiling. Premature washing during low-soiling periods wasted hundreds of thousands in water and cleaning labor.
Objectives
- Connect plant SCADA historians (Modbus/OPC) and on-site pyranometer irradiance feeds.
- Isolate panel soiling losses from inverter electrical degradation using string I-V curve comparisons.
- Trigger economic panel washing dispatch when revenue loss exceeds the cost of cleaning.
Discovery
Telemetry audit showed that soiling accumulation varied by over 300% across different tracker blocks on the same solar farm due to local agricultural dust patterns, rendering uniform calendar cleaning highly inefficient.
What was built
- Trimark & Nor-Cal SCADA Historian Ingestion Connectors. Streams 1-minute inverter string current/voltage telemetry and pyranometer irradiance.
- Physics-Informed String Degradation & Soiling Models. Compares normalized performance ratios across neighboring tracker blocks to isolate soiling from hardware faults.
- Economic Wash-Trigger & Local Weather Forecast Engine. Factors in real-time power revenue loss, cleaning labor costs, and 7-day rainfall forecasts.
- Solar O&M Automated Work Order Dispatch Console. Generates prioritized panel washing tickets and string fault alerts for field technicians.
Outcomes as reported
Reported summary: +3.6% Generation Lift & $840K Annual Recovery.
| Figure | What it refers to |
|---|---|
| +3.6% Generation Lift | Fleet energy output recovered across 420 MW of utility-scale solar operating capacity |
| $840,000 Recovered | In additional annual wholesale electricity revenue unlocked |
| -32% Water Saved | Water consumption reduced by eliminating premature and redundant panel washings |
| 100% Software Driven | Zero new sensors, drone cameras, or hardware instrumentation deployed |
Figures as reported in the engagement record; not independently audited.
Lessons
- Comparing normalized string performance ratios across adjacent blocks isolates soiling from component faults with 99% accuracy.
- Integrating local rainfall forecasts prevents dispatching wash crews right before natural rain cleaning events.
Next steps
Extending string telemetry diagnostics to automate single-axis tracker backtracking angles on overcast days.
Implementation questions
No. Fortiv operates on existing SCADA string inverter telemetry and on-site pyranometer solar irradiance feeds.
The engine integrates 7-day numerical weather forecasts, delaying wash dispatch if significant rainfall is predicted.
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