A U.S.-based solar site experiencing the 2025 average power loss could be losing up to $5,070 per MW of annualized revenue, according to a new report from robotics analytics firm Raptor Maps.
Raptor Maps’ 2026 Global Solar Report features analysis of power losses across 373 GW of utility-scale and commercial and industrial solar PV sites in the U.S.. It found an average power loss across solar assets in the data set of 5.08%, compared to 5.51% in 2024. The average remains more than double what it was five years ago and is also above the running five-year historical average covering 2020-2024, which stands at 3.5%.
Raptor Maps says the slight reduction in average power loss was driven by a drop in inverter-caused power loss. Inverter faults decreased almost 40% compared to 2024, to now account for less than a quarter of total observed equipment-driven losses.
In contrast, the data set saw a 12.5% year-on-year increase in string issues and a 10.2% increase in combiner faults, which now account for 26.89% and 21.51% of observed power loss. Average power loss for tracker issues increased 25% year-on-year and now contributes to just under 14% of total loss profile.
“This shift from more centralized to more distributed power loss also speaks to the importance of more frequent data, as proactive identification of these anomalies is now becoming essential to prevent them from compounding into larger production gaps,” the report says.
Small module defects were up 17.4% year-on-year. Raptor Maps says that these smaller anomalies result in less immediate revenue loss than inverter or combiner issues, but adds that their rising prevalence remains noteworthy as such defects can deteriorate over time and become fire risks
The report also cites labor availability as another issue impacting power losses, with the average technician responsible for 70% more MW than they were five years ago as the rapid expansion of solar is outpacing the job market, stretching operations and maintenance teams thin.
Power losses were found to be affecting sites across all U.S. regions. Larger sites, above 20 MW in capacity, are performing slightly better than smaller ones, which Raptor Maps says indicates differences in operational efficiencies on newer, larger and more resourced sites.
While solar farms are expected to exhibit reduced performance as they age, power losses were also discovered in brand new sites. The report highlights an average power loss at commissioning of 4.46%, which Raptor Maps says highlights how important active engagement and QA/QC are throughout the construction process.
The average power loss of the data set increased by 55% between years two and three of operations, the report adds, aligning with the lapse of EPC warranty periods which often end after one to two years.
Sites with docked drones are inspecting their asset more frequently, the report continues, increasing the frequency of partial, circuit-block-specific inspection and marking a move away from aerial thermography inspections, which traditionally happen once or twice a year.
Assets in the data set that were inspected twice in 2025 showed a 7% improvement in average power loss when compared to sites that inspect only once, increasing to a 36% improvement on those that were assessed quarterly. The report also highlights that sites utilizing autonomous drone technology observed an average power loss of 3% compared to the 5.08% data set average.
Raptor Maps says that the most successful solar assets are deploying robotics and automation. “For asset owners, these technologies are a way to increase performance. Moving from mostly once-per-year site inspections to high-frequency inspections using robotics has a clear, positive impact on power loss,” the report concludes.
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