SolarPower Europe launches new Operation & Maintenance Best Practices Report

• SolarPower Europe launches an updated ‘Operation & Maintenance: Best Practice Guidelines Version 6.0,’ to maximise the operational efficiency of solar PV power plants.
• Updates include revised guidance on solar power plant maintenance and data management, a state of play of the latest innovation and trends, and new chapters on electrical safety and common tests and inspections.
• This report is an industry-leading set of recommendations, on how to elevate and maintain quality in the solar PV sector.

BARCELONA, Spain (Tuesday 18th February 2025): SolarPower Europe’s new report offers recommendations on how to maintain standards in the solar PV sector, while supporting its sustainable growth. As solar deployment continues to grow and digital technologies evolve, harmonising best practices is crucial for scaling up solar operations efficiently.
 

The latest revision of SolarPower Europe's Operation & Maintenance (O&M) Best Practice Guidelines includes updated chapters on solar power plant maintenance, innovation and trends, and data management; new chapters on electrical safety, and common tests and inspections; and recommendations on how to sustainably handle end-of-life (EoL) solar panels after a revamping/repowering project.

Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe (she/her) said; “A thriving solar industry with quality solar installations is the cornerstone of a successful energy transition. These guidelines will ensure that the sector installs solar systems that foster growth, strengthen trust, and accelerate the solar revolution across Europe.”

Our new chapter focusing on electrical safety practices contains a skills matrix template that helps solar workers record skills and identify gaps. Our innovation and trends chapter has been updated to showcase emerging technology solutions, some of which are close to mainstream adoption, others which are in early-stage development. Examples include a “drone in a box” system for solar PV, which involves an autonomous drone stored in a secure, weatherproof docking station. The innovative box allows frequent programmed flights which optimise operations and maintenance efficiency on large solar farms, and can even track plant growth around the panels. Another trend is the rise of virtual reality smart glasses which allow engineers on the ground at a solar power plant, to connect with a desktop supervisor for real-time guidance, using audio, video, and holograms for maintenance instructions.

Stelios Antellis, Chair of the SolarPower Europe Lifecycle Quality workstream, and Head of Global Strategic Operation at Astronergy (he/him said); “The future of solar power relies on lasting quality, durability, and well-maintained systems that meet performance expectations. With the sixth version of these guidelines, we keep integrating and refining best practices which highlight the critical importance of proper O&M, and ensure that our solar PV power plants generate value for investors and communities for generations to come.”

All best practices mentioned in these Guidelines are beneficial and relevant for solar PV systems of all sizes. These Guidelines are a key tool for O&M service providers, as well as investors, financiers, asset owners, asset managers, monitoring tool providers, technical consultants, and all interested stakeholders in Europe and beyond.

The latest update of SolarPower Europe's O&M Best Practice Guidelines arrives at a time when the topic of quality is gaining unprecedented importance across the solar PV value chain. This report is the sixth edition of the O&M Best Practices Guidelines. The first version of the O&M Best Practices Guidelines was published in 2016, with the report being regularly updated since then.

Within this report, over 30 experts of SolarPower Europe’s Lifecycle Quality Workstream, have illustrated their knowledge and experience from across the solar sector, coming from Operation & Maintenance (O&M), recycling and circularity, waste management, utility-scale solar, and manufacturing backgrounds.

The ‘Operation & Maintenance: Best Practice Guidelines Version 6.0,’ was launched during the first day of our annual Solar Quality Summit Europe event, co-organised with Intersolar. Solar Quality Summit Europe brings together leading members of the O&M, Asset Management, and Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) communities, to advance the long-term quality of Europe’s solar projects. 

Our report is available on our Solar Best Practices Platform, which gather all the products of SolarPower Europe’s Lifecycle Quality Workstream under one roof. 

Notes:

• Revamping and repowering refer to replacing old solar power components in a solar PV power plant with new components to improve its overall performance.
• SolarPower Europe’s Solar Best Practices Platform is designed as the definitive one-stop-shop for solar quality assurance in Europe. It provides access to a wide range of SolarPower Europe’s reports, tools, and checklists, as well as a directory of companies that adhere to these best practices. This includes the Solar Best Practices Mark, which allows companies to benchmark their performance and create more transparency in their solar services.

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