Fluke Corporation Survey Highlights Key Challenges and Opportunities in the Solar Energy Sector

Fluke's survey highlights solar industry's challenges, emphasizing panel efficiency, maintenance strategies, and technician training for future growth.

Quiver AI Summary

Fluke Corporation's recent survey reveals that 63% of solar industry professionals believe solar energy will become the primary energy source in their countries, despite notable challenges such as concerns over panel efficiency and common inverter failures. The survey, conducted by Censuswide, involved over 400 solar OEMs, technicians, and installers from the UK, Germany, Spain, and the USA, highlighting a significant shift needed from reactive to predictive maintenance strategies. Over half of the respondents prioritize adopting predictive maintenance and integrating AI technologies in solar operations, with a strong emphasis on training technicians in advanced diagnostic tools to tackle these evolving challenges. While a skills shortage exists, with 59% calling for better technician training, there is optimism as the industry actively seeks solutions to improve system efficiency and overcome supply chain issues in order to secure a sustainable future for solar energy.

Potential Positives

• Fluke Corporation's survey results underscore the company's leadership role in the solar industry by identifying critical challenges and opportunities for innovation, emphasizing their commitment to supporting an energy transition towards net-zero.
• The findings highlight a strong market need for advanced diagnostic tools and predictive maintenance strategies, indicating a significant opportunity for Fluke's product offerings to align with industry needs.
• Nearly two-thirds of respondents (63%) expressed confidence that solar will become the dominant energy source, reflecting an optimistic outlook for the industry's growth and aligning with Fluke's strategic vision.
• 45% of the survey participants view AI integration in solar as a key opportunity, suggesting a market trend that Fluke can leverage to enhance its technology and product development initiatives.

Potential Negatives

• 91% of respondents expressed concerns about the efficiency of current solar panels, indicating potential issues with Fluke's market positioning and product effectiveness in addressing industry standards.
• Nearly a third of respondents reported using a reactive maintenance strategy, suggesting that Fluke may face challenges promoting advanced solutions in an industry still reliant on outdated practices.
• More than half of the surveyed participants are relying on external services for maintenance rather than developing in-house capabilities, which could imply a weakness in Fluke's offerings or support for self-sufficient maintenance solutions.

FAQ

What percentage of respondents believe solar will lead the energy transition?

63% of respondents predict that solar will become the dominant energy source in their country.

What are the main concerns regarding solar panel efficiency?

91% of survey participants expressed concerns about the efficiency of current solar modules.

How many respondents prioritize predictive maintenance for solar systems?

More than half of the respondents indicated that implementing predictive maintenance is a key priority.

What role does AI play in solar energy advancement according to the survey?

45% of respondents see AI integration as a key opportunity for improvement in solar panel design and maintenance.

What is a significant challenge highlighted regarding the solar workforce?

A skills shortage was identified, with 59% emphasizing the need for training in advanced diagnostic tools.

Disclaimer: This is an AI-generated summary of a press release distributed by GlobeNewswire. The model used to summarize this release may make mistakes. See the full release here.

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Full Release

Everett, Washington, Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Summary:

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  63% predict that solar will lead their country’s energy transition.
  


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  91% are concerned about solar panel efficiency, and 39% cite inverter failures as a common issue.
  


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  Nearly a third use reactive maintenance, while over half prioritize adopting predictive maintenance.
  


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  59% stressed the need to train technicians in advanced diagnostic tools to address evolving challenges.
  


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  45% view AI integration in solar panel design, optimization, and maintenance as a key opportunity.
  

EVERETT, Wash., December 12, 2024 –

Fluke Corporation

, a leading provider of safe, rugged, and reliable industrial tools and integrated software, has released new survey findings highlighting key challenges for the solar industry on its path to a net-zero future. The survey identifies improving panel efficiency, transitioning from reactive to predictive maintenance, and adopting smart technologies as top priorities. Crucially, data emerges as the driving force behind innovation and operational efficiency, offering solutions to these pressing challenges.

The survey, conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Fluke, engaged over 400 solar OEMs, technicians, and installers across the UK, Germany, Spain, and the USA to gain insights into their perspectives on the pressing challenges facing the solar industry. The survey results also highlighted their attitudes toward emerging trends and their expectations for how the future of solar energy is likely to evolve in the coming years.

The research revealed that nearly two-thirds of respondents (63%) believe solar will become the dominant energy source in their country. However, it also highlighted significant challenges that must be addressed to turn this optimistic vision into reality and pave the way for a solar-powered future.

“The adoption of smart technologies is going to be critical for companies to gain a strategic edge,” says Vineet Thuvara, Chief Product Officer, Fluke. “Businesses are increasingly keen to automate their maintenance operations, with approaches like condition monitoring and predictive maintenance, and those that don’t utilize new AI enabled technologies - and their capabilities for collecting more data and gaining more knowledge - will be left behind.”

One of the challenges that emerged in the survey’s findings is the need to rapidly shift from reactive maintenance to a more proactive approach. With 91% of those surveyed reporting concerns about the efficiency of the current generation of solar modules and 39% of respondents identifying inverter failures as a common issue, it’s clear an effective maintenance strategy is a necessity. Nearly a third of all respondents described their current maintenance strategy as reactive, while more than half indicated that implementing predictive maintenance was a key priority.

Thuvara continued, “The next step, and the real opportunity to overcome the challenges facing the future of the solar industry, lies in the use of smart tools to analyze this data, and benchmark new data against historical data to detect issues before they risk causing failures. This is where using advanced diagnostic tools and training technicians on how to use them will help maximize solar panel and maintenance efficiency.”

The skills shortage emerged as a significant concern, especially as data tracking through smart technologies becomes more integral to the solar industry's future. A notable 59% of respondents emphasized the importance of training technicians to effectively use advanced diagnostic tools to meet evolving challenges. Additionally, 53% highlighted the need for more focused training in electrical troubleshooting and diagnostics, underscoring the urgent need to equip the workforce with the skills to navigate the industry's technological shift.

In a positive sign, nearly all respondents are taking proactive steps to improve system efficiency through diverse strategies, including investments in module optimization software and collaborations with research institutions. Notably, 45% of respondents see the integration of AI in solar panel design, optimization, and maintenance as a promising opportunity for advancement. Additionally, 36% are eager to adopt AI-powered diagnostics to enhance maintenance efficiency. However, challenges remain: 28.7% are still relying on a reactive maintenance approach, with over 52% depending on external services rather than in-house maintenance teams.

More than half of those surveyed also identified supply chain resilience as a major concern for installers, with macro-economic and geo-political trends continuing to create uncertainty. Fluke’s Will White, Solar Application Specialist, explains: “Organisations are continuing to search for solutions to tackle persistent supply chain issues, aiming to find the sweet spot between adaptability, transparency, affordability, and accessibility. It’s positive to see that the industry remains confident in finding this sweet spot to enable solar to be the dominant renewable energy source in the future.”

About Fluke

Founded in 1948, Fluke Corporation is the world leader in compact, professional electronic test tools and software for measuring and condition monitoring. Fluke customers are technicians, engineers, electricians, maintenance managers, and metrologists who install, troubleshoot, and maintain industrial, electrical, and electronic equipment and calibration processes. FLUKE is a registered trademark of Fluke Corporation. For more information, visit the

Fluke website

.

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For more information:



Georgia Marchant


Fluke Corporation



georgia.marchant@fluke.com

Dave Smith


Fluke Corporation



dave.smith@fluke.com

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  Fluke Survey Reveals How Data is Powering the Future for Solar Energy Innovation and Growth
  
  

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