Background Story

Solar PV systems are designed to operate for 20–25 years, but their performance depends heavily on proper operations and maintenance (O&M). In the MENA region, harsh climates, dust, and high temperatures can degrade output significantly if left unchecked. While many projects are celebrated at commissioning, neglecting O&M leads to rapid declines in performance and revenue.


 

Problems

• Performance degradation: Without cleaning and checks, panels can lose 10–30% of output in a single year
• Reactive maintenance: Waiting for faults to occur leads to extended downtime
• Lack of monitoring: Without real-time performance tracking, underperformance can go unnoticed for months
• Financial erosion: Reduced generation directly impacts ROI, PPA payments, and investor confidence
  
   

Main Objectives

• Highlight the financial and technical importance of proactive O&M
• Outline essential O&M practices for MENA climates
• Encourage integration of remote monitoring systems to detect and address issues early
  
   

Approach

We reviewed industry data and MENA-specific case studies on O&M performance. Best-practice recommendations include cleaning frequency optimization, inverter health checks, thermal imaging for hotspot detection, and use of EMIS or SCADA systems for continuous oversight.

 

  
Results

• Projects with structured O&M achieve up to 8–12% higher annual generation compared to neglected systems
• Early detection of inverter faults reduces downtime and revenue loss
• Investors increasingly require O&M contracts with performance KPIs to ensure bankability and long-term returns

Summary

When it comes down to the benefits, both options provide the same benefits to the clients, the only difference would be the actual presence of the system within the customer’s property. Perhaps the latter would have the additional benefit of promoting the client’s image by promoting their installed system to the customers stakeholders.