Take your solar structure to the next level with hands-on, high-quality asset management or operations and maintenance solutions from O3 Energy.
Solar Asset Management vs. O&M Project Management: What You Need to Know
Knowing exactly what services are required to keep your solar panel structure up and running can be tricky—a lot of first-time solar users are unaware of the nuances that go into maintaining the panels for peak performance. At O3 Energy, we want to help our clients by providing the exact level of care they need to keep everything running smoothly. And that takes us to the subject of this blog: discussing the difference between Asset Management (AM) and Operations & Maintenance (O&M) and deciding which one makes the most sense for your solar solution.
If you’ve ever worked in an office, you’ve likely heard someone describe issues in terms of whether they’re “big picture” (long term, high level) or “day-to-day” (immediate, smaller scale). And while that’s not a perfectly neat breakdown for the difference between AM and O&M, it does help users begin to understand their relationship.
What Is Solar Asset Management?
To continue the office analogy, AM is considered the “big picture” solar management solution. It encompasses several areas (or “assets”) including commercial, financial, and administrative considerations tied to a solar system. Similar to O&M in the sense that it fundamentally ties into the performance of the solar panels, the main difference is that AM is a little broader.
It includes just about everything from the operation level to the initial investment and expected ROI. And if that sounds like it might have some crossover with O&M, that’s because it does. AM experts should have a strong understanding of day-to-day operations and understand the implications they have on more long-term areas like annual finances. AM specialists likely oversee O&M for a solar structure and are helpful for keeping a team on course.
What About O&M?
In an ideal world, your solar structure would need little to no maintenance. And while for some structures that is certainly the case, there are always going to be those unforeseen events (think severe storms or a natural disaster) that can seriously set you back. That’s where an O&M team can come in handy. Protecting your physical asset involves diligent, routine maintenance and preventative care. Avoiding large-scale problems and repairs is all about taking care of the smaller, seemingly insignificant ones. An O&M team can help with everything you need to improve both the functionality and aesthetic appearance of your solar panels, including vegetation removal, comprehensive washing, and urgent repairs and maintenance.
If a solar investor is torn between deciding whether to hire an AM or O&M team, they’d likely go with the latter. Why? An AM might be extremely useful, but it’s not quite as urgently necessary as hiring someone who can fix a broken solar panel.
Why Is Solar Management so Important?
You’ve probably heard about all of the benefits that come with installing a solar panel structure. If those benefits are all real, why invest so much time after installation? Shouldn’t things just work smoothly forever?
A lot of solar investors make the mistake of neglecting their panel structure once installation is complete. And while you will still see significant ROI when the panels perform as expected, there’s always a chance that something could go wrong. Using an AM or O&M can help keep things on track and help you or your commercial property maintain the performance of your panels.
Ready to Get Started?
Once you’ve decided on going solar, you need a partner that can help you maximize the value of your investment. At O3 Energy, we’re committed to helping our clients find intuitive, cost-effective ways to increase the performance, longevity, and efficiency of their solar panels. For more information, reach out to O3 Energy today.
