Fixing Faulty Solar for a National Storage Provider
The challenge:
For storage and logistics operators, rising operational costs have become the norm. Energy bills, in particular, are eating into margins, especially for sites that rely on heating, lighting, or temperature control. Many businesses turned to solar as a way to cut costs, but for some, those systems haven’t delivered what was promised.
That was the situation facing a leading national storage company at their Bracknell site. The solar panels had been installed by another supplier, but performance was noticeably poor. Energy bills were still high, and the system didn’t seem to be doing much at all.
Safety and performance issues:
Our initial survey uncovered a faulty inverter on one system, which explained the lack of output. But it was only the tip of the iceberg. The client asked us to expand the audit across nine additional sites, and the findings were concerning. We also created an asset register so they could keep an eye on performance across their sites.
At one site, high winds and bad mounting system installation meant the movement of multiple solar panels. This posed a serious health and safety risk to site users as well as invalidating the building’s roof warranty, leaving the client exposed to potentially significant costs.
Elsewhere, we found:
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Panels that weren’t generating any electricity at all
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Systems that had never been correctly commissioned
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Maintenance issues that had gone undetected for years
What should have been a cost-saving asset had become a liability.
The solution:
To take back control, the client entered into a five-year operations and maintenance (O&M) contract with Carbon3. We took over the management of all ten sites, delivering:
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Proactive fault monitoring, so small issues are caught before they become costly
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Immediate fixes, including replacing the faulty inverter and re-mounting dislodged panels
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Ongoing maintenance by our own trained and directly employed engineers
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System optimisation, ensuring every array now operates at its full designed capacity
We also worked closely with the client’s internal teams to develop a schedule of regular site checks, helping avoid repeat issues and giving them confidence in their solar assets moving forward.
The results:
With the right corrective actions and a proper maintenance strategy in place, the difference was dramatic. Across the ten sites, electricity generation increased by over 60%, turning a failing investment into a reliable cost-saving asset.
Most importantly, the client no longer had to worry about whether their systems were working and safe, or whether they were still covered under warranties.
What this means:
We speak to many asset managers who inherit solar systems that have not been carefully installed or correctly commissioned. Whether it’s been installed badly, left unmonitored, or simply neglected over time, the result is often the same: underperformance, unnecessary costs, and frustration.
With a trusted partner like Carbon3, we keep your systems working at peak performance year after year.
Think your system might be underperforming?
Let’s carry out a no-obligation audit and show you what’s really happening.
Contact us at info@carbon3.co.uk.
