Core Insights - A significant trend is emerging in the solar industry where companies are increasingly outsourcing solar equipment maintenance due to a shortage of specialized skills and resources [1][4] - The Fluke survey indicates that 55% of OEMs, technicians, and installers in the U.S., UK, Germany, and Spain are outsourcing more than half of their solar maintenance activities [2][11] - The trend of outsourcing maintenance is expected to accelerate, with 75% of companies planning to continue or expand external partnerships [3] Outsourcing Trends - In the U.S. and Spain, 54% of companies are outsourcing their solar maintenance, while this figure is 58% in Germany and 48% in the UK [2] - Nearly 90% of surveyed businesses in Spain and Germany are expected to continue outsourcing, compared to 72% in the U.S. and 58% in the UK [3] Skill Gaps and Training - The survey highlights a global skill and resource gap in solar maintenance, with nearly 60% of companies focusing on training technicians in advanced diagnostic tools [4] - In the UK, 56% of companies prioritize data collection protocols to reduce downtime, while in the U.S., 60% emphasize training technicians [5] Survey Demographics - The Fluke survey included over 400 OEMs, technicians, and installers, with 45.6% being technicians and 36.5% OEMs [6] - The majority of respondents were from companies with 100 to 249 employees, representing 33% of the survey population [6]