GreenLancer finds “solar orphan” O&M partner in SolarGrade
Since launching a nationwide solar repair network in August of last year, Detroit-based solar and EV engineering firm Greenlancer has been searching for a national O&M software partner. The company announced March 3 that it has found its match.
As part of the implementation agreement between the two companies, SolarGrade will supply solar field maintenance software for both GreenLancer’s residential solar services, as well as its commercial O&M offerings. The move is set to digitize and standardize field operations for GreenLancer, as the company builds a network of more than 200 solar field service partners.
Officials from GreenLancer say the move will raise the firm’s solar field quality standards across the country.
“We chose SolarGrade because their team’s deep understanding of solar PV quality is embedded within their intuitive software platform,” says Pat McCabe, COO of GreenLancer. “Unlike every other app we tested, SolarGrade is purpose-built for solar field technicians and office teams to complete service calls correctly.”
Finding a home for orphaned systems
Demand for GreenLancer’s services has surged in recent months, since the implementation of its solar repair network in 2025, representatives say. Homeowners, businesses, and financial institutions have all felt the weight of “complexed orphan portfolios,” the firm adds, with a few original solar installers going out of business around the country recently.
“Fast, accurate fieldwork is critical for businesses and homeowners with orphan PV systems that are not yet operational. At the same time, every jurisdiction and financier has complex requirements that must be satisfied before systems are commissioned and approved for operation,” says Lauren Durbin, director of field services at GreenLancer. “We chose the SolarGrade app because it helps enforce those requirements while still maintaining speed and consistency in the field.”
GreenLancer says being ability to provide these services, encompassing construction, commissioning and interconnection, can be “an administrative and technical challenge.” O&M for older projects poses an equal challenge, which is where the SolarGrade app comes into play, the company says.
“When solar and storage fieldwork is overlooked and poorly documented, costly failures and mistakes are common. SolarGrade eliminates these oversights,” says David Penalva, CEO and cofounder of SolarGrade. “As GreenLancer’s solar field operations software provider, we applaud and support their work to transform orphan systems into high-performing assets that stand the test of time.”
SolarGrade also supports a solar risk calculator for any potential system issues a customer might be having. The company provides a combiner box inspection checklist, as well as a solar connector safety guide.
The SolarGrade app currently supports more than 80 GW of solar and 12 GWh of energy storage projects every year. Implementation into GreenLancer’s system will add to the field intelligence database for customers.
