Solar PV is low-maintenance but not zero-maintenance. UK warehouse systems require routine cleaning, periodic inverter replacement (typically year 12-15), monitoring platform upkeep, vegetation control, and annual electrical inspection. Without proper O&M, system output degrades faster than the 0.4-0.5%/year manufacturer specification — sometimes by 1-2pp/year. Our O&M service preserves the financial DCF assumptions across the 25-year operating life.
What's in our O&M service
Annual inspection: visual panel inspection, structural mount check, electrical safety test (G99 compliance), sprinkler clearance verification. Panel cleaning: typically 1-2x per year for UK conditions (varies with site exposure, agricultural dust, urban pollution). Inverter monitoring: continuous remote monitoring, fault diagnosis, replacement coordination at end-of-life (typically year 12-15 for string inverters). Vegetation control: prevent shading from tree growth or roof-edge vegetation. Performance reporting: monthly generation export with comparison to PVSyst forecast, alert on performance deviation >5%.
Cost structure
Standard O&M: £8-15/kW/year for 200 kW – 5 MW systems. Includes: annual inspection, monitoring platform, performance reporting, fault diagnosis, response to system alerts. Excludes: panel cleaning (£1-3/kW/yr extra), inverter replacement (one-time cost at end-of-life, typically £80-150/kW including labour), vegetation control. Most O&M contracts run 25 years matched to PV asset life. We offer annual review with 12-month termination right.
Performance guarantee option
Performance guarantee bundles O&M with a contractual minimum annual generation commitment. If annual generation falls below 92% of PVSyst forecast (allowing for soiling, shading, weather variation), we deliver a performance payment to the customer. Typical premium 15-25% over standard O&M, but provides financial certainty for SBTi-target-aligned customers.
Common questions about solar maintenance
Do solar panels need cleaning?
Yes — typically 1-2x per year for UK conditions. Frequency varies with site exposure: urban (more pollution), agricultural (dust), coastal (salt spray) sites need more frequent cleaning. UK warehouse roofs benefit from rainwater self-cleaning to some extent, but localised soiling (bird droppings, leaf debris, pollen) reduces output measurably. Annual cleaning typically £1-3/kW.
How often do inverters need replacing?
String inverters typically last 12-15 years. We coordinate replacement at end-of-life — typical cost £80-150/kW including labour. Module-level optimisers (SolarEdge) typically last 25 years matching panel life. Central inverters for very large systems (>5 MW) typically last 20+ years.
What does the performance guarantee cover?
Contractual minimum annual generation, typically 92% of PVSyst forecast accounting for soiling, shading, weather variation. If annual generation falls below threshold, we deliver a performance payment. Provides financial certainty for SBTi-target-aligned customers. Premium 15-25% over standard O&M.
Can we self-manage O&M after install?
Possible but not recommended. The PV monitoring platform requires active management to detect faults, schedule cleaning, and coordinate inverter replacement. Customers who attempt self-management typically see 1-2pp/year additional output loss vs spec. Cost saving £8-15/kW/yr is usually outweighed by performance loss.