Introduction to DER Operations and Maintenance
ECE-40850
The Operations and Maintenance (O&M) process for
Distributed Energy Resources (DER) is a consistent generator of profits for energy companies and a source of pride for practitioners involved in the practice. O&M professionals are driven by daily, weekly, monthly schedules, and vast amounts of data. O&M professionals must work well with asset managers, external service providers, and business leaders alike, to keep DER systems running consistently, ensure customer satisfaction, and steady flow of payment stream receivables.
Upon completing this course, students will learn how DER systems are constructed, documented, and operate over their useful life cycle. Participants will be able to explain, in precise terms, the value of preventative maintenance to operational performance. They will understand the key terms described in operations and management contracts, how the physical operation of the site relates to its financial performance, how to identify which authorities have jurisdiction over the installation and operation of PV systems, and will be able to explain the basic duties of an operations and maintenance professional. Students will become acquainted with system documentation and the monitoring, customer relationship management, and reporting diagnostic software systems by (O&M) professionals daily.
Course Highlights:
- How DER systems work
- O&M considerations by job function
- O&M tools and systems
- Preventative maintenance
- Adding value in the O&M process
- National best practices in O&M
- Jurisdictional considerations
Course Learning Outcomes:
- Understand how DER systems operate within an O&M context
- Explain O&M job functions as they relate to one another
- Determine key performance indicators for DER systems
- How to work with authorities having jurisdiction as it pertains to permitting, interconnection, and tariffs
- Identify which tools and systems are best used for which O&M job
- Determine which O&M best practices to apply according to the geographic location and climate conditions
Course Typically Offered: Online in every quarter
Prerequisite:
Next Step: After completing this course, consider taking courses in the Communications Software Development for Distributed Energy Resources certificate program.
Contact: For more information about this course, please email unexengr@ucsd.edu
