Question 1

How often should a commercial solar system be inspected?

Accepted Answer

For active commercial solar systems, an annual inspection is the standard minimum. Systems in environments with higher soiling risk — near construction, industrial processes, or high bird activity — benefit from bi-annual inspections. Inverter fault logs should be reviewed monthly. Most inverter manufacturers provide remote monitoring platforms that allow production data and fault alerts to be checked without a site visit.

Question 2

My solar system is underperforming. What should I do?

Accepted Answer

First, confirm the underperformance by comparing actual generation against the original production model using monitoring data. A 5–10% variance is within normal range for seasonal and weather variation. A sustained gap larger than that — across multiple months or an annual total — warrants investigation. Common causes: inverter faults (identifiable from monitoring data), panel soiling or physical damage, shading from new obstructions, wiring or connection degradation, or inverter efficiency loss in older units. A site inspection typically identifies the cause within one visit.

Question 3

Can you service a solar system that was installed by another company?

Accepted Answer

Yes — we provide operations and maintenance services for commercial solar systems installed by other contractors. The starting point is a full system inspection to establish the current operating condition, production baseline, and any immediate maintenance or performance concerns. We work with all major commercial inverter platforms commonly used across Canadian C&I solar installations, including Fronius, SolarEdge, Solis, SMA, and others. Following the assessment, we provide a documented inspection report, identified corrective actions if required, and a forward maintenance plan structured around the long-term operation of the system.

Question 4

How long does a commercial solar system last?

Accepted Answer

Commercial solar systems are designed and financially modelled for a 30-year operating life. Panels are typically warranted at a minimum output level — commonly 80–85% of nameplate capacity — at year 30. Well-maintained systems operating in Ontario conditions regularly achieve this. Inverters have a shorter service life — typically 12–15 years for string inverters. Inverter replacement is a planned maintenance event within the 30-year financial model, not a system failure. Most systems will require at least one inverter replacement across their operating life. Regular inspection and proactive maintenance are what close the gap between designed lifespan and actual operating performance.

Question 5

What does a commercial solar inspection cover?

Accepted Answer

A comprehensive commercial solar inspection covers: panel condition (soiling, physical damage, delamination, and shading assessment), DC wiring and connection integrity, inverter operation and fault log review, mounting and racking condition, earthing and bonding, and production data review against the original 30-year financial model. Where a battery storage system is co-located, the inspection extends to the storage system, BMS, and interconnection.

Question 6

What happens when a solar inverter reaches end of life?

Accepted Answer

When a string inverter approaches the end of its service life — typically 12–15 years — the options are replacement with an equivalent unit or upgrade to a current-generation inverter, which often delivers improved efficiency, better monitoring capability, and extended warranty coverage. Inverter replacement at year 12–15 is a planned maintenance item within the 30-year financial model. We assess inverter condition annually as part of the service program and provide a planned replacement recommendation before failure occurs — not in response to it. Emergency inverter replacement after failure is significantly more disruptive and costly than a scheduled replacement planned a year in advance.

Commercial solar maintenance for Canadian businesses.

Four reasons operations & maintenance protects long-term performance.

Maintain long-term system output.

Resolve issues before failures occur.

Avoid major equipment failures.

Protect long-term equipment health.

The full lifecycle of commercial solar O&M.

Your financial model assumes the system performs.

Panel Soiling

Inverter Faults

Undetected Underperformance

Aging Electrical Infrastructure

End-of-Life Equipment

Communication Failures

From financial model to long-term operation.

Production is measured against the original operating model.

Commercial solar systems require different support at different stages.

Newly Installed Systems

Aging Systems

Existing Third-Party Installations

Services for existing system owners.

Solar Servicing & Maintenance Questions

Know how your system is performing.