Commercial solar panel systems are intricate technological systems that are highly beneficial for your business. However, if they aren’t well-maintained, their efficiency and output will be impacted, meaning you won’t be benefiting from them as much as you could. This is why commercial solar panel maintenance is a crucial part of owning a solar panel system.
Solar panel maintenance comes in many forms, from keeping the cells clean to ensuring all other aspects are functioning as they should and bird proofing the system. Investing in each of these maintenance forms ensures long-term savings and system efficiency.
At Prostar Energy, we believe our maintenance and repair service is just as important as our installation work. We have an accredited team of experts who are able to bird proof and service your commercial solar panel system, so you can be confident you are getting the most out of your investment.
In this blog, we share five solar panel maintenance tips to keep your system running as efficiently as possible.
Why Is Commercial Solar Panel Maintenance Important?
The importance of commercial solar panel maintenance is multifaceted.
- Ensuring the panels themselves are clean of dirt and debris will mean they absorb maximum sunlight for maximum energy generation and efficiency.
- Maximum energy production reduces reliance on the National Grid, increasing your energy bill savings.
- Decreasing reliance on the National Grid improves energy stability and independence, saving you from power blackouts.
- Solar panel maintenance also ensures all intricate and electrical components within the system are functioning, extending the lifespan of the overall system.
- Enhancing your solar panel system also contributes to you becoming a greener business.
As you can see, there are many benefits to maintaining your solar panels, which is why it is so important.
So, how do you maintain your solar panels?
5 Essential Solar Panel Maintenance Tips for Businesses
Here are our top five tips for commercial solar panel maintenance.
1. Schedule Annual Professional Inspections
Annual services by professionals mean that every part of your commercial solar panel system is inspected and cleaned every 12 months.
This means any small issue is found and fixed before it becomes a bigger issue and causes problems with consequences for your business.
Key parts that are checked include:
- Panel condition
- Wiring
- Inverters and solar power batteries
- Mounting structures
2. Keep Panels Clean and Free from Debris
Regular cleaning of solar panels is an important part of commercial solar panel maintenance because it keeps the cells from being obstructed by dirt and debris.
Branches and leaves from nearby trees, dust from pollen and nature, and bird droppings that all sit on the solar panel cells reduce the efficiency of the system.
This is because they block areas of the panels from absorbing the sunlight, which is then used to generate energy. Less sunlight equals less energy produced, which means a less efficient system.
Simply removing these obstructions will keep your system running at optimal performance.
3. Monitor Energy Output Regularly
Our third tip for commercial solar panel maintenance is to keep an eye on the performance of your system.
Your solar panel system likely comes with monitoring software, which you should take a look at frequently to make sure the system is working as it should be.
Drops or spikes in performance are indicators of something being wrong. So, these can prompt you to get a professional to assess the system, diagnose any issues and repair them before you experience a larger problem or any downtime.
4. Check for Shading
Similarly to dirt and debris landing on your panels, shading over the system will reduce sunlight absorption and, therefore, energy output.
So, part of your maintenance should include regular site assessments to check shaded areas.
Where possible, we recommend trimming nearby foliage to stop any branches from blocking the sunlight from reaching your panels.
If you face a drastic obstacle that causes shading, such as a new build, you might want to reach out to professionals to discuss repositioning the solar panels. But this is something that should be discussed and done by an expert team.
5. Maintain the Inverter and Electrical Components
Don’t forget that the solar panel cells on your roof aren’t the only part of the system that needs maintenance. The internal parts, such as the inverter and electrical components, need just as much care.
There are several common problems businesses can experience with their inverters:
- Faulty display or no power output
- Overheating
- Error codes or warnings
- Reduced efficiency
Your inverter isn’t the only electrical part that needs to be maintained, though. You should also regularly check:
- Wiring & connections
- Mounting & ventilation
- Electrical safety checks
The benefits of maintaining these parts mean early detection of any issues and:
- Prevents system downtime and ensures continuous solar power generation.
- Reduces the risk of fire hazards from faulty wiring or overheated components.
- Helps identify underperforming solar panels connected to the inverter.
- Extends the lifespan of the solar system by addressing minor issues before they become major failures.
How Regular Maintenance Saves Businesses Money
Commercial solar panel maintenance saves you money in the long run, which is why you should prioritise it.
- Ensuring a functional system means optimal efficiency and increased output for more savings on energy bills.
- It also means reduced downtime and the need for costly repairs if something goes wrong.
- Regular maintenance will also make sure warranties are valid, should you need to rely on them.
Professional Commercial Solar Panel Maintenance with Us
We understand that when running a business or a business premise, you don’t always have time to complete these routine commercial solar panel maintenance tasks. This is why we offer our maintenance and repair services.
With a choice of three packages, you are guaranteed to find a maintenance solution that works for you and your system. We can also offer solar panel thermal imaging inspections to further enhance your maintenance.
The Prostar Energy team have a combined 50 years in the industry, meaning we are the experts on all things solar panels. This experience means we can quickly spot and diagnose an issue and find a recommended solution quickly.
If you are interested in our solar panel maintenance services, give us a call today at 0331 6302 225 or complete our online contact form, and we will give you a callback.
