Naked Energy launches its dedicated operations and maintenance (O&M) service for solar thermal.
Solar thermal is different from conventional solar PV panels in that it generates renewable heat rather than electricity. Naked Energy’s Virtu collectors can be up to ten times more efficient than traditional PV panels.
Its VirtuHOT collectors generate clean heat up to 120 °C , while its VirtuPVT collectors combine PV and solar thermal to generate electricity and heat up to 75 °C. The latter is the world’s first evacuated hybrid solar collector to receive TÜV certification, solidifying its status as a game changer in the solar industry.
The service has already been rolled out across ten of Naked Energy’s projects, and is predicted to show a performance uplift of up to 30%.
Underpinning the service is Clarity 24-7, Naked Energy’s real-time monitoring software platform, the only one of its kind for the solar thermal industry. Alongside regular maintenance and prevention, the software platform gives a live view of how much energy Naked Energy’s collectors are generating. The O&M team can proactively identify potential issues and remedy them before they become problematic.
The platform uses Google Big Query and Open Meteo data to analyse how systems should perform based on ambient temperature and local environmental conditions. This enables trend analysis of historical performance and over time enables the platform to accurately predict how solar thermal systems will perform in future weather conditions.
Additionally, Clarity24-7 can also monitor other heating technologies, such as heat pumps, turning it into a system performance monitoring platform.
Naked Energy’s O&M service comes at a critical time, with poor performance of renewable projects costing the industry dearly. Across the wider solar sector, underperforming solar PV systems are estimated to have led to USD$4.6 billion in preventable losses in 2023.
This is particularly pressing for the decarbonisation of heat, which is responsible for 70% of the UK’s industrial energy demand. Optimising the performance of renewable heat technologies is critical to encouraging industry to decarbonise their heat.
Christophe Williams, CEO, Naked Energy, said, “Heat decarbonisation is one of the biggest challenges of our time, but it has to be as dependable and efficient as possible. We’re incredibly proud of the Clarity 24-7 platform, the first of its kind in our industry, and how easy the platform makes it to help every installed system deliver the thermal output it was designed for.”
Jonny Williams, Head of Operations & Maintenance, Naked Energy, said, “The industry has a real problem with underperformance, especially that which can be easily avoided. With good data and disciplined maintenance, we can generate a higher and more consistent heat output with fewer call-outs. At a time where renewable energy reliability is being called into question, the importance of services like this can’t be overstated.
“The platform also gives clients access to see exactly how much energy their projects are generating, giving them clarity on energy consumption and security that they’re getting as much value as possible.”
Naked Energy has sold its Virtu product range to more than 20 countries and is well-established in the UK’s and Europe’s commercial and industrial space, having signed deals with landmark clients, such as the British Library and Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London.
