Solarplaza Webinar | Data to dollars 2026 AM trends driving portfolio value

Solarplaza Webinar | Data to dollars 2026 AM trends driving portfolio value

by Solarplaza

Applied Sciences & Engineering Economics & Finance KNBEnergy industries and utilitiesKNBTAlternative and renewable energy industries
🎙 Solarplaza 👥 3K 📅 February 16, 2026 ⏱ 61 min 👁 64 📄 expert opinion 🧭 2026-08-16
Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

solarO&MinverterBESSdata

Summary

This Solarplaza webinar, held in partnership with Omnidian, provides a preview of the ‘State of the O&M Industry 2026’ report. The discussion, moderated by Matt Houser, features Jay Smith from Standard Solar and Balamurali Rammohan from Arevon Energy. Key findings from the survey include: inverters remain the top cause of downtime, with 90% of respondents identifying them as the primary equipment challenge. Over 60% expect O&M budgets to increase in 2026 due to labor, travel, and aging assets. The workforce is a major concern, with most firms prioritizing technician upskilling over automation. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are a growth area but present challenges in software controls and state-of-charge estimation. Data quality is seen as the paramount barrier to adopting AI and digital twins. The panel discusses strategies for predictive maintenance, repowering, and managing diverse portfolios. The webinar concludes with an announcement of the AMNA 2026 ticket winner.

148 words

Critical Evaluation

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The webinar provides valuable insights into the current state of solar O&M, based on a survey of industry professionals. The panelists, with their extensive experience, offer practical perspectives on challenges such as inverter reliability, workforce shortages, and data integration. The argumentation is largely anecdotal, relying on personal experiences rather than rigorous data analysis. However, the discussion is well-structured and addresses key industry concerns, making it useful for asset managers and O&M professionals.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The webinar is based on a survey conducted by Solarplaza and Omnidian, but the methodology is not detailed, limiting the scientific rigor. The panelists are experienced professionals, lending credibility to their opinions. The title accurately reflects the content, focusing on data-driven asset management trends. The description provides links to Solarplaza’s website and LinkedIn, but no direct sources for the survey data are cited. Overall, the information is reliable for industry insights but not for academic reference.

163 words

Title / Content Match

The title accurately reflects the content, focusing on how data and asset management trends drive portfolio value in 2026.

Quality & Reliability

7/10

The webinar is based on a survey of industry professionals and features experienced asset managers. However, the survey methodology is not detailed, and the discussion is largely anecdotal, relying on expert opinions rather than peer-reviewed data.

Chapters

Cited Sources

  • Solarplaza Events — Mentioned as the source for upcoming events and resources.
  • Solarplaza LinkedIn — Provided as a way to follow Solarplaza for updates.

Concurring Sources

  • NREL Solar O&M Best Practices — Supports the discussion on O&M strategies and inverter reliability.

Contribution & Novelties

The webinar offers a timely overview of the 2026 O&M industry trends, highlighting the shift from uptime to financial optimization. It provides practical insights from industry experts on managing inverter reliability, workforce challenges, and data integration. The discussion on predictive maintenance using temperature data and IGBT sensors is particularly novel.

Pour aller plus loin :

  • Solar O&M Best Practices — Relevant for understanding O&M strategies.
  • Inverter Reliability — Official resource on inverter issues.
  • Digital Twins in Renewable Energy — Overview of digital twin technology.

84 words

Radar Profile

The radar profile shows high scores in quantity of information and technical level, indicating a content-rich webinar. The lower score in reliability reflects the lack of detailed methodology. Overall, the webinar is informative for industry professionals.

Reliability 7/10