California solar projects expected to lose $90.5M this year from equipment-driven failures
Utility Scale

California solar projects expected to lose $90.5M this year from equipment-driven failures

The California solar industry is projected to lose $90.5 million in 2023 revenue to equipment-driven underperformance, according to a new report from Raptor Maps.

The Spotlight on the State of Solar: California report notes that power loss from equipment anomalies in Calif. has more than doubled over the past few years: from 1.6% in 2020, to 4.4% in 2022. In 2022, California had a higher percentage of power loss compared to the rest of the country: 4.4%, as opposed to 3.4%.

Although the country’s overall solar power loss has also been increasing – from 2.2% to 3.4% over the past three years – California’s increase has outpaced the rest of the nation. This may be attributable to the fast growth in California’s solar capabilities, Raptor Maps says, as more than a quarter of California’s power comes from solar, and more than $90 billion has been invested in the state’s solar industry.

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While not placing the blame on a single factor, Raptor Maps cites California’s “rapid pace” of installing utility-scale solar as likely playing a large role. This highlights the need for a sufficient baseline understanding of equipment health before solar sites are commissioned, Raptor Maps says, as well as close monitoring of new sites for issues before they progress further.

According to Raptor Map’s analysis, inverter and string anomalies are the two most common culprits for solar power loss in California. Inverter anomalies were observed more than any other type in 2022, and were the cause of the majority of power losses and 49.2% of total revenue loss. String anomalies were responsible for 22.5% of revenue loss in 2022.

The full report can be read here.