Fluke Survey Reveals Growing Trend with 55% of Companies Outsourcing Solar Maintenance, Citing Critical In-House Skill Gap

Rhea-AI Summary

A recent survey by Fluke reveals a significant trend in solar maintenance outsourcing, with 55% of companies across the U.S., UK, Germany, and Spain delegating over half of their maintenance activities to external partners. The study, conducted by Censuswide, surveyed over 400 OEMs, technicians, and installers.

Key findings show that 75% of companies plan to continue or expand their outsourcing partnerships, with regional variations: US (71%), Spain and Germany (nearly 90%), and UK (58%). The survey also highlighted that 30% of companies have either reactive or non-existent maintenance strategies, while 60% identify a lack of training for technicians on advanced diagnostic tools.

To improve reliability and reduce downtime, companies are focusing on three main areas: training technicians on advanced diagnostic tools (60%), implementing predictive maintenance (53%), and streamlining data collection protocols. Regional priorities vary, with the UK emphasizing data collection (56%) and the US prioritizing technician training (60%).

Survey of 400+ OEMs, technicians, and installers also reveals 75% commit to long-term outsourcing of solar maintenance

Everett, Washington, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Summary:

• 55% of companies surveyed outsource the majority of their solar maintenance
• In the U.S. that figure is 54% compared to 60% in Germany and 48% in the UK
• 75% of companies indicate they will continue to outsource maintenance
• In the US that figure is 71%, with Spain and Germany reaching almost 90% and the UK 58%
• 30% of companies admit their maintenance strategy is either reactive or non-existent
• Nearly 60% highlight lack of training for technicians on use of advanced diagnostic tools

A growing number of companies across the U.S. and Europe are strategically outsourcing solar equipment maintenance, driven by a critical shortage of specialized skills and resources within their organizations. This trend, highlighted in a recent survey by Fluke Corporation, a leader in industrial tools and integrated software, underscores the increasing challenge of building in-house expertise to support the rapidly evolving solar industry.

The survey, conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Fluke, reveals that 55% of OEMs, technicians, and installers across the U.S., UK, Germany, and Spain, are outsourcing more than half of their solar maintenance activities. Notably, in the U.S. and Spain 54% of companies are strategically turning to external partners for their solar maintenance, highlighting a widespread reliance on third-party expertise in the face of growing skill gaps. In Germany, this figure rises to 58%, while the UK reports 48%.

The Fluke survey highlights significant regional differences in the future outlook for solar maintenance, with Germany consistently leading as the largest outsourcer. Looking ahead, the trend of outsourcing maintenance is poised to accelerate, with 75% of companies across the surveyed countries planning to continue or expand external partnerships. While 72% of US companies expect to continue outsourcing in the coming years, nearly 90% of surveyed businesses in Spain and Germany are expected to be at the forefront of this trend. In contrast, the UK lags behind with just 58% of companies anticipating continued reliance on external providers, signaling a potential gap in the adoption of this strategic approach.

“This survey clearly exposes the global skill and resource gaps in solar maintenance, underscoring a critical challenge for the industry,” said Alex Chillman, Fluke Vice President of Innovation. “Outsourcing maintenance has become the norm, and our findings show that this trend is not only widespread but set to continue as the preferred approach for the majority of companies. What stands out is the strategic divergence between countries, each adopting different models for maintaining solar infrastructure. "This underscores the need for a region-specific, forward-thinking approach to talent development and resource allocation, focusing on streamlining workflows for maintenance staff and supporting the growth of new technicians as they progress in skills and specialization."

In order to reduce downtime and improve reliability, a little under 60% of companies surveyed say their main focus would be to train technicians on the use of advanced diagnostic tools. Similarly, more than half (53%) of companies indicate that implementing predictive maintenance would be a solution while just under half would prioritise on-site diagnostics and streamlining data collection tools.

In the UK, focusing on data collection protocols is deemed to be the most important issue in reducing downtime and improving reliability for 56% of companies, with training a fraction lower at 52%. In the U.S., the priorities are reversed, with 60% of companies especially eager to train more technicians and just 46% looking to focus on data collection protocols. This option is particularly low in Germany at 38%.

The Fluke survey sought the view of more than 400 OEMs, technicians and installers across the U.S., UK, Germany, and Spain. Of those surveyed, 45.6% were technicians, 36.5% OEMs and the rest installers. Nearly 63% were based in the US and just over 12% in each of the UK, Germany and Spain. Respondents in companies with 100 to 249 employees were the biggest group represented in the survey at 33%, followed by 25% with between 50 and 99 and 21% with 250 to 500 workers. The rest were evenly split with either one to 49 employees or more than 500.

To learn more about Fluke solutions for the solar industry, please visit https://www.fluke.com/en-us/products/electrical-testing/best-solar-energy-industry-tools.

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.

Attachment

• Fluke Outsourcing Solar Maintenance Survey

Georgia Marchant
Fluke Corporation
georgia.marchant@fluke.com

Dave Smith
Fluke Corporation
dave.smith@fluke.com

FAQ

What percentage of companies are currently outsourcing solar maintenance according to Fluke's 2025 survey?

55% of companies across the U.S., UK, Germany, and Spain are outsourcing more than half of their solar maintenance activities, with Germany leading at 58% and the UK at 48%.

How many companies plan to continue outsourcing solar maintenance in the future?

75% of surveyed companies plan to continue or expand their outsourcing partnerships, with Spain and Germany reaching nearly 90% commitment rates.

What are the main challenges in solar maintenance identified by the Fluke survey?

Key challenges include a critical shortage of specialized skills, with 30% having reactive or non-existent maintenance strategies and 60% lacking training for technicians on advanced diagnostic tools.

What solutions are companies prioritizing to improve solar maintenance efficiency?

Companies are focusing on training technicians (60%), implementing predictive maintenance (53%), and improving data collection protocols, with priorities varying by region.

How does solar maintenance outsourcing vary across different regions?

Outsourcing rates vary significantly: Germany leads at 58%, US and Spain at 54%, and UK at 48%, with future commitment rates ranging from 90% in Germany and Spain to 58% in the UK.