Guard Cloud Digitalizes Solar Plant Operations and Monitoring for BlueTec

BlueTec is among Norway's five largest installers of solar power systems, battery storage solutions, and EV charging infrastructure. Founded in 2016, the company currently employs 40 people and is aiming to double its revenue in 2023.

”We are seeing tremendous interest in solar installations, particularly for commercial buildings. That is why we are pleased to have found such a capable partner in Guard Automation to help improve the operation, servicing, and maintenance of energy installations,” says Kim Olsen, Managing Director of BlueTec.

Guard Automation has developed Guard Cloud, a cloud-based platform that will serve as an operations and monitoring system for BlueTec and its customers. The Norwegian technology company provides systems supporting critical infrastructure to nearly 40% of Norwegian municipalities.

Simpler and More Effective Reporting with Guard Cloud

Olsen explains that Guard Cloud can integrate data from different types of installations, regardless of which solar equipment suppliers are involved.

”Until now, our service team has had to work across more than ten different platforms and user interfaces, simply to check whether solar panels are generating electricity as expected. With Guard Cloud, we now have a single dashboard that brings together all the most important data,” Olsen explains.

Bringing this data together creates opportunities for improvement across several areas.

”The most obvious benefit is how much easier it becomes to maintain an overview. We can also compare solar power generation with previous periods or across different installations. Another example is the allocation of costs associated with solar investments in buildings with multiple tenants, which will become simpler and more accurate. Digitalization opens up significant opportunities for smarter operations and energy management,” says Olsen.

He also highlights the fact that Guard is a Norwegian company with servers located in Norway, providing an additional level of data security.

Maintenance When It Is Needed

Hanne Torp Nilsen at Guard Automation believes the partnership will help BlueTec and its customers save both time and money through more intelligent operations.

”This collaboration represents an important step towards condition-based maintenance. Rather than relying on scheduled inspections, service and maintenance can be carried out based on actual operational needs. The cloud platform will automatically notify service technicians when faults or deviations occur,” says Torp Nilsen.

Olsen agrees.

”The result is a more proactive approach to operations, leading to increased uptime and higher solar power generation. Together, we will explore how the system can best support operators and service technicians. It could be as simple as using weather data to predict whether snow will need to be cleared from solar panels the following week. That allows us to act in advance and optimize production,” he explains.

Sandefjord Municipality Is the First to Benefit

The first joint project between Guard and BlueTec will be implemented for Sandefjord Municipality. The municipality has installed solar panels on several public buildings, including the town hall and a number of schools.

Nearly 800 solar panels have been installed on the roof of Sandefjord Town Hall. Photo: Ann Kristin Saastad.

”Data from all the municipality's solar installations will now be consolidated in Guard Cloud. This will streamline operations while also simplifying environmental reporting, which is becoming increasingly important,” says Torp Nilsen.

Thomas Abrahamsen, Energy Advisor at Sandefjord Municipality, looks forward to gaining better operational visibility.

”Sandefjord Municipality has ambitious plans for solar energy. Today, I have to navigate between numerous apps and individual installations to get a complete overview. With Guard Cloud, we will have better visibility, be able to identify deviations more quickly, and improve our reporting,” says Abrahamsen.

Olsen also sees opportunities to make solar energy generation more visible and accessible.

”Several schools in Sandefjord Municipality have solar panels, and since renewable energy and solar power are part of the school curriculum, it would be great if students could see in real time how their school's roof generates electricity. It makes renewable energy more tangible and could make learning more engaging,” says Olsen.

Both Torp Nilsen and Olsen believe the partnership will help strengthen the incentives for investing in green energy solutions.

”Making solar installations, battery systems, and EV charging stations easier and more cost-effective to operate is an important step towards encouraging further investment in green technology,” they conclude.