Amid skill shortages, companies continue to outsource solar maintenance

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A critical shortage of specialized skills and resources within organizations is increasingly driving companies to outsource their solar equipment maintenance, found a survey by Fluke, a specialist in test and measurement instruments for solar installers.

Key findings from the survey include:

  • 54% of U.S. companies said they outsource the majority of their solar maintenance.
  • 71% of U.S. companies said they will continue to outsource maintenance. For Spain and Germany, this figure reached almost 90%.
  • 30% of companies said their maintenance strategy is either reactive or non-existent.

The survey consisted of more than 400 original equipment manufacturers, technicians and installers, 63% of which were based in the United States, and the rest based in the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain. The survey was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Fluke Corporation.

(See also: Survey captures wide-spread optimism for solar’s future, but respondents divided over AI)

Slightly under 60% of companies surveyed said their main focus would be to train technicians on the use of advanced diagnostic tools to reduce downtime and improve reliability, Fluke said.

“Notably, in the U.S. and Spain,” Fluke said, “54% of companies are strategically turning to external partners for their solar maintenance, highlighting a widespread reliance on third-party expertise in the face of growing skill gaps.

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