Page 32 - EngineerIT August-September 2025
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Solar not performing? Offload the
risk and rescue your ROI
cross Industries, businesses are Poor installation quality, limited data capture, delayed repairs,
facing the same problem: Solar inadequate cleaning, and weak health and safety infrastructure all
Asystems that aren’t performing. contribute to a decline in output over time. These issues compound
What should be a dependable energy when systems are left unmanaged - and both performance and savings
solution is causing unstable power, quietly deteriorate.
rising diesel costs, and lost savings –
with no clear accountability for system A familiar struggle at Eden Village
underperformance. A pertinent recent example was Eden Village Prep in Salt Rock, KwaZulu-
Natal, South Africa. Despite having a 70 kWp solar system with 187 kWh
In 2024 alone, underperforming solar assets battery backup, the school was still experiencing frequent power outages.
led to more than $10 billion in avoidable The system couldn’t support peak demand, and generator diesel bills
losses globally, according to Raptor Maps’ were rising fast.
2025 report.
“The outcome was unreliable supply, rising generator usage, and
“Owning a solar system doesn’t guarantee operational pressure - especially in an environment where consistency
performance,” says Richard Flamand, is critical,” notes Flamand. For Eden Village, this meant more than just
Country Lead at Candi Solar. “Without operational frustration. It disrupted therapies, learning programmes,
active monitoring and management, and the smooth running of daily activities - all despite having made the
performance degrades - and the business move to solar.
absorbs all the risk.”
This is where the importance of choosing a reliable partner with strong
The hidden cost of solar performance management comes in. Without active monitoring and
underperformance accountability, even well-intentioned solar investments can fall short.
“This isn’t a one-off issue – it’s a pattern we
see across the commercial and industrial Fortunately, there are now smarter ways to refinance existing solar assets.
space. Most solar systems operate well Whether the system was purchased upfront or installed through a long-
below their maximum efficiency due to a term PPA, these models allow businesses to restore reliability and shift
combination of preventable factors.” performance responsibility to a partner who’s accountable for results.
32 | EngineerIT August/September 2025
