Top 5 Challenges for College Solar Portfolios

For many California Community Colleges, solar investments were made with the promise of predictable energy savings and environmental leadership. But keeping those promises requires more than just building the systems—it requires disciplined management. Without proper oversight, solar assets can quietly underperform, costing districts millions in missed savings and premature repairs. Below are the five most common challenges we see in college solar portfolios—and how to avoid them.

1) Undetected Outages & Underperformance

Solar systems don’t always announce when they stop working. Busy district teams are pulled in many directions, and outages or low performance can easily go unnoticed. The result: months of lost production before anyone realizes there’s a problem.

Districts should ensure that robust monitoring tools are in place and that more than one person is actively reviewing system performance. Regular comparisons of actual vs. expected production help spot issues early and keep systems delivering the savings they were designed to provide.

2) Early Equipment Failures

Solar panels (modules) are expected to last 25–30 years, while inverters typically have a 10–15 year life span. But those expected useful lifespans assume proper care. Without preventive maintenance, components can degrade faster, causing costly outages, emergency repairs, or even premature replacement.

Routine inspections, scheduled equipment service, and proactive part replacements can extend equipment life and minimize unplanned downtime. Early investment in preventive maintenance pays for itself many times over by avoiding major capital surprises.

3) Lack of Financial Transparency

A solar portfolio isn’t just a collection of hardware—it’s a financial asset. Yet many districts lack visibility into the actual financial performance of their systems. Without transparency, key decisions about capital budgets, repairs, or expansions are made without a clear picture of past results or future projections.

Districts should track not only how much energy their systems are producing, but also how much financial benefit they’re delivering. Comprehensive financial reporting—tying together production, utility bills, and avoided costs—creates a foundation for better decision-making and long-term fiscal planning.

4) Soiling Losses

Dust, pollen, and debris are an often-overlooked source of energy loss. For most California systems, panel soiling can cut production by 15–30% or more if left unaddressed.

Most solar systems benefit from being washed once or twice per year, with timing adjusted based on site conditions and local climate. Coordinating washing with vegetation abatement on ground-mounted systems ensures maximum system output and efficiency while minimizing wasted trips and costs.

5) Lack of Contractor / Warranty Management

When things break, many districts don’t realize that someone else may be on the hook for the repair. Performance guarantees, installer workmanship warranties, and manufacturer warranties are common—but only valuable if someone actively manages and enforces them.

Without proper oversight, districts often pay out-of-pocket for repairs that should have been covered by other responsible parties. Assigning responsibility for warranty and contractor management ensures districts capture the full value of the protections they’ve already paid for.

Protecting & Optimizing Your District’s Investment

Avoiding these pitfalls requires more than good intentions—it requires a structured approach to portfolio management. At Transform Energy Asset Management, we deliver full-scope services that cover performance monitoring, preventive maintenance, financial reporting, warranty enforcement, and field services. Our goal is simple: to make sure your district’s solar portfolio produces the reliable savings it was designed to deliver.

If you want confidence that your solar investments are working for your district—not against it—reach out to Transform Energy Asset Management today. Visit transformenergy.com/asset-management or contact David Burdick at david.burdick@transformenergy.com.