Why solar panel maintenance matters for your business

As more UK businesses invest in solar PV to reduce costs and carbon emissions, one critical factor often gets overlooked: ongoing maintenance.

Your solar system isn’t a ‘fit and forget’ solution. Commercial solar PV installations are a significant capital investment but without a clear maintenance strategy in place, system efficiency can fall, return on investment can be delayed, and long-term energy savings reduced.

If your business is relying on solar to reduce operational costs and meet sustainability targets, maintenance isn’t optional – it’s a core part of responsible asset management.

There are two critical reasons businesses typically come to us for maintenance support.

Building insurance requirements

When your business installs a commercial solar PV system, it becomes part of your building’s fixed infrastructure. As a result, your insurer will typically view it as part of the overall asset they’re covering. Insurers include clauses that require evidence of regular inspection and servicing of solar PV systems. This isn’t just a formality – it’s tied to their risk assessment. A neglected solar system could lead to:

• Electrical faults
• Fire risks
• Weather-related damage
• Structural integrity issues (i.e. loose panels on roofs)

If systems are not maintained and something goes wrong, your insurer may refuse to pay out. Even if the incident isn’t directly related to the panels, any failure to meet maintenance conditions could void your policy. Consequently, this would put the full financial liability back on your business.

Warranty protection

Commercial solar systems involve high-value components like inverters, optimisers, and panels. These typically come with manufacturer warranties ranging from 5 to 25 years, but those always come with conditions.

To keep the warranty valid, manufacturers often require:

• Routine visual inspections
• Electrical safety checks
• Inverter diagnostics
• Record-keeping of all maintenance carried out

They do this because neglect, not manufacturing defect, is the most common reason for system failure. If you can’t demonstrate that your system was properly maintained, you may lose your right to claim.

What does solar panel maintenance involve?

Commercial solar PV maintenance covers more than just cleaning panels. At Low Carbon Energy, our maintenance and asset management programme is built around maximising system uptime and long-term performance. For commercial systems, especially large-scale roof or ground-mounted arrays, this requires more than just a reactive approach.

Our asset management typically includes:

• Performance monitoring and diagnostics – Early detection of issues such as drop-offs in output or inverter faults.
• Routine inspections – Electrical inspections, checking for wear, damaged wiring or connections, shading, or structural damage and panel inspections.
• Panel cleaning – Removing debris and build-up of lichen and soiling that can reduce efficiency and cause hotspots.
• System optimisation – Adjustments and device software updates to maximise generation and returns.

This isn’t just good practice – it’s a commercially sound decision that secures long-term value.

The cost of poor maintenance

While the long-term benefits of solar are well understood, the impact of system underperformance is often underestimated. Without regular maintenance, even minor issues can erode output, increase operational costs, and compromise business continuity.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

Financial loss from underperformance

• A commercial 500kWp solar system would average at around 300,000kWh per year, with savings of around £60,000 at 20p per kwh. In this instance, 10% of savings would be about £6,000, not considering earnings from the export.

Increased grid dependency

• Without timely maintenance, system faults lead to higher reliance on grid electricity – which is subject to volatile pricing. The October 2024 price cap rise confirms this unpredictability, with business energy costs increasing by up to 14%.

Component degradation and safety

• PV systems fall under BS 7671 wiring regulations, which states that any electrical installation may be subject to degradation and the detrimental effects of external influences. In this case, they would pose serious risks if not addressed through scheduled maintenance.

Missed ESG and Net Zero targets

• Your solar PV system is part of a broader sustainability plan. If it’s under-delivering, you may fall behind on published environmental targets or carbon reporting obligations.

Optimising ROI through maintenance

Solar is a long-term asset and like any asset, it needs to be looked after to generate full value.

Regular servicing extends system life, protects your warranty, and ensures your payback period stays on track. Many of our commercial clients see ROI in as little as 3–5 years. With proper maintenance, solar systems can deliver reliable returns for two decades or more.

Maintenance is also vital if your business plans to take advantage of schemes like energy buyback, as underperformance could limit the excess energy you can sell back to the grid.

A smarter way to manage your solar asset

Our Asset Management services are part of a full-service offering – from initial design and installation through to long-term performance oversight.

We work with clients across the UK, managing large-scale systems on warehouses, hotels, distribution centres, and manufacturing plants. We know the demands of commercial infrastructure and tailor our services to meet them.

With full visibility over your system’s health and output, you stay in control of your energy strategy.

The bottom line

Investing in solar PV is a smart move. Maintaining it is a necessary one.

If your business relies on solar energy to reduce operating costs, hedge against grid volatility, and strengthen your ESH credentials, then system performance must be protected.

Our decades of experience allow us to offer a fully comprehensive Asset Management service that provides total peace of mind. We have a deep understanding of not just the technology underpinning your solar panels, but also the regulatory and legal processes that govern them, so we can take care of everything from preventative maintenance to enhancing performance through detailed data analysis.

This allows you to focus on the day-to-day operations of your business while enjoying the maximum benefits of your solar panel system, including a reduced carbon footprint, cost savings, enhanced energy independence and security, and a solid return on investment.

Interested in performance benchmarking or maintenance for your existing solar PV system?

Call us on 01282 421489 or click here to learn more.