Current challenges in operation, performance, and maintenance of photovoltaic panels

The installed solar capacity in the European Union has expanded rapidly in recent years. The production of these plants is stochastic and highly dependent on the weather. However, many factors should be considered together to estimate the expected output according to the weather forecast so that these new PV plants can operate at maximum capacity. Plants must be operated in coordination with maintenance operations and considering actual energy market prices. Various methods have recently been developed in the literature, ranging from the most impactful artificial-intelligence-based generation estimation methods to various diagnostic and maintenance methods. Moreover, the optimal operational and maintenance strategy usually depends on market regulation, and there are many concerns related to the distribution system operator. This review article aims to summarize and illustrate the challenges of operating and maintaining solar power plants and the economic and technical importance of these problems.