Unified Data for OEMs: A Phaseshift Use Case in Solar & Energy Storage

Introduction: OEMs Need Visibility into Deployed Equipment

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) for solar PV inverters and battery energy storage systems (BESS) face a common challenge: once their equipment is deployed at customer sites, they often lose direct visibility into its performance. Traditionally, OEM product teams and support staff operate with limited real-world data. They may only hear about issues after a failure has occurred or rely on periodic reports from users. This lack of data transparency forces OEMs to make decisions based on assumptions rather than facts. It becomes difficult to monitor equipment health, ensure uptime commitments, uphold service-level agreements (SLAs), or support warranty claims when you “don’t know what you don’t know” about how products are used in the field. Phaseshift’s unified data platform addresses this gap by giving OEMs direct access to live and historical data from their equipment across all customer installations in a cybersecure manner. Below, we explore how OEMs can leverage Phaseshift to monitor their equipment, meet performance guarantees, and streamline support and warranty processes.

Challenges Without Unified Data for OEMs

For an OEM of solar or energy storage equipment, lack of unified data leads to reactive and inefficient support:

• No Real-Time Monitoring: Without a centralized feed of operational data, OEMs typically learn of problems only when a customer contacts them after a failure. Support teams struggle to troubleshoot without a consolidated view of faults, alarms, or usage history. This reactive approach means equipment downtime can stretch longer, and costly emergency repairs under warranty become more frequent.

• Difficulty Upholding SLAs: OEMs often guarantee a certain availability or performance level for their products (e.g. an inverter’s 98% availability). Lacking live data, it’s hard to verify or ensure these SLAs and performance guarantees are being met in the field. An undetected outage at a solar farm, for instance, could jeopardize contractual uptime commitments before the OEM is even aware.

• Warranty Claim Uncertainties: When a component fails, OEMs have little evidence to assess whether it was due to a product defect or misuse/harsh operating conditions. Important details around the fault or maintenance history may not be readily available. This “partial view” of a warranty claim can lead to disputes or unwittingly honoring claims that should have been exceptions. Conversely, genuine issues might go unaddressed until they compound.

• Lost Insights for Product Improvement: Equipment manufacturers thrive on feedback from real-world use. Yet many product development teams lack reliable field data on how customers utilize their machines, the environments they operate in, and common failure modes. Without this insight, design improvements or preventive maintenance guidelines are based on guesswork. Opportunities to enhance reliability or develop better next-generation products may be missed due to this visibility gap.

In summary, operating “data-blind” makes it challenging for OEMs to support their customers effectively and to continuously improve their offerings. This is where Phaseshift comes in, by breaking down data silos and providing a unified stream of operational information back to the OEM.

Phaseshift Solution: Real-Time Monitoring & Unified Data Access

Phaseshift is a unified data platform that aggregates and standardizes data from diverse industrial assets, from solar inverters to BESS units and beyond into a single accessible interface. For OEMs, this means that they can have ongoing visibility into the performance and status of their equipment across all deployments. Instead of getting “nothing” after the sale, OEMs gain a continuous data connection to their products in the field. Key features of Phaseshift’s solution for OEMs include:

• Fleet-Wide Monitoring Dashboard: OEMs get a centralized dashboard to monitor the health and performance of every unit they have in service. Whether it’s dozens of utility-scale battery systems or thousands of distributed solar inverters, all relevant metrics (power output, state-of-charge, temperatures, fault codes, etc.) are visible in real time. This fleet-wide view allows spotting of patterns and anomalies that might only be evident when aggregating data across many sites. (For example, an inverter manufacturer could see that units in a certain region are trending hotter than elsewhere, indicating an environmental or design factor to address.)

• Real-Time Alerts and Diagnostics: Phaseshift enables OEMs to receive real-time alerts for any critical events or out-of-tolerance conditions. If a BESS unit’s battery module triggers a high-temperature alarm or a cell voltage delta fault, the OEM’s support team is notified immediately, often before the customer notices the issue. This early warning system empowers OEM support engineers to diagnose issues faster and even guide local technicians remotely, reducing the need for emergency on-site visits. In fact, remote monitoring lets machine builders (OEMs) identify and address problems quicker, with fewer in-person service calls, by notifying service teams of potential issues before they escalate. Catching a developing problem early means it can be resolved during scheduled maintenance or with a quick fix rather than a full equipment shutdown.

• Data Unification and Standardization: Phaseshift aggregates data from various sources and OEM devices into one format. OEMs often produce multiple product lines (e.g. different inverter models or battery systems) each with its own data map or protocol; additionally, their equipment might interact with third-party systems (like solar trackers or PPCs). Phaseshift normalizes these so that all relevant operational data is in one place, saving engineering teams from logging into disparate systems or parsing different data logs. This unified dataset not only streamlines troubleshooting but also provides a richer context; for instance, correlating a solar inverter’s performance with the site’s energy storage activity or grid conditions to pinpoint the true cause of an issue.

• Secure, Permissioned Access: From a business perspective, data security and ownership are crucial. Phaseshift is designed to allow permission-based data sharing. The asset owner controls access but can grant the OEM a window into their equipment’s data. This is done securely (e.g. via encrypted connections) so OEMs see only what they need without compromising the customer’s network. For OEM decision-makers, this means Phaseshift facilitates collaboration with customers by bridging data silos in a secure, mutually agreed way.

In short, Phaseshift provides OEMs the “single source of truth” for their equipment’s operational status, no matter where the devices are installed or who the end-user is. Armed with this capability, OEMs can transition from reactive support to proactive management of their fleet in the field. The following sections detail how this translates into concrete benefits: maintaining high uptime, meeting SLAs, streamlining warranty service, and feeding real-world insights back into the business.

Proactive Monitoring, Warranty, & SLA Management for OEMs

With Phaseshift’s live monitoring and alerts, OEMs in renewable energy can materially improve uptime and better fulfill their performance guarantees:

• Ensuring Maximum Uptime: Continuous remote monitoring means OEMs can ensure their equipment stays online and healthy. They can set performance thresholds and get notified if, say, a solar inverter’s output falls below expected levels or if a battery system goes offline unexpectedly. By reacting immediately to such alerts, OEMs help minimize downtime for the end user. This proactive stance directly supports any uptime guarantees or SLAs the OEM has committed to. For example, if an inverter OEM promises 98% availability, Phaseshift’s data lets them track availability in real time and take action at the first hint of trouble (such as dispatching a technician or guiding a reset remotely) to prevent prolonged outages. Many OEM service teams have found that real-time monitoring and alerts allow them to fix issues before customers even realize something is amiss, dramatically reducing disruptions. In practice, diagnosing issues faster through remote data access cuts down on costly on-site visits and prevents minor faults from snowballing into major downtime. The result is higher equipment availability across the OEM’s entire installed base.

• Upholding SLAs & Performance Guarantees: Beyond just uptime, Phaseshift data helps verify that equipment is performing to spec (efficiency, throughput, etc.). By monitoring KPIs continuously, they can ensure the equipment is operating within guaranteed parameters. If there’s deviation (e.g. derates), the OEM can proactively schedule maintenance or part replacement to stay within SLA bounds. This level of oversight builds trust, the OEM is not just reacting to failures but actively safeguarding the customer’s performance outcomes. Additionally, having a documented record of operational metrics provides transparency for SLA compliance. If ever questioned, the OEM can produce data (via Phaseshift reports) showing exactly how the equipment performed each day of the contract period, which can be crucial for proving SLA adherence or identifying where shortfalls occurred.

• Rapid Remote Troubleshooting: Phaseshift’s unified data can include diagnostic information (fault codes, sensor readings) that OEM engineers can analyze from their office, enabling remote troubleshooting sessions. OEMs can guide on-site personnel (the customer’s team or a third-party O&M provider) through targeted fixes, since they can visualize the issue via data from anywhere. For example, if a BESS is not charging correctly, the OEM can remotely see battery cell voltages, inverter status, and EMS commands on Phaseshift. This holistic view may reveal that the issue is a dispatch setting rather than a battery fault, something that can be corrected without any hardware troubleshooting. By resolving many problems remotely or in a single site visit (with the right parts in hand the first time), OEMs dramatically reduce downtime and improve customer satisfaction. Industry experience has shown that remote machine monitoring combined with analytics “minimizes disruptions and improves customer satisfaction thanks to reduced downtime.” In essence, Phaseshift equips OEMs to meet or even exceed their support response commitments, which is a key aspect of most SLA agreements.

• Hard Evidence for Warranty Claims: When a customer submits a warranty claim (say an inverter failure or a battery capacity issue), the OEM can pull up the detailed operational history from Phaseshift. The IoT telemetry creates a digital trail of how each machine was used. This enables the OEM to answer critical questions with confidence: Was the equipment operated within specified limits? Was routine maintenance performed on schedule? Were there any signs of misuse or environmental extremes that contributed to the failure? Phaseshift logs can reveal, for example, that a battery system experienced repeated deep discharges beyond its warranty terms. Armed with such data, OEMs can quickly and accurately assess warranty claims.

Phaseshift thus transforms OEM support from a reactive break-fix model to a proactive, predictive model. OEMs become guardians of their equipment’s performance in the field, which not only keeps customers happier but also reduces the costs on the OEM’s side (fewer urgent field dispatches and crisis fixes).

Insights for Continuous Improvement and New Services

Beyond immediate operational benefits, the data OEMs gather via Phaseshift becomes a goldmine for strategic insights and future planning. Business decision-makers can leverage these insights in several ways:

• Data-Driven Product Improvements: Phaseshift enables OEMs to analyze usage and performance trends across all deployed units. This cross-sectional view can reveal design weaknesses or opportunities for enhancement. For example, a BESS OEM might observe that systems operated in colder climates consistently show slower battery charge rates (e.g. derates), leading to a firmware tweak for better cold-weather performance. Essentially, OEM engineers can “continuously refine equipment designs and optimize maintenance schedules based on real-world data.” Field data on how and when failures occur, under what conditions, feeds back into improved specifications for new products or updates to maintenance procedures. Over time, this data-driven R&D leads to more robust, efficient, and durable equipment, which is a competitive advantage for the OEM.

• Understanding Customer Use Cases: OEM business leaders can also glean how customers are actually using their equipment in the field, sometimes uncovering new use cases or misuses that weren’t apparent. Phaseshift’s unified data might show, for instance, that many battery storage customers are using the systems for grid frequency regulation at night rather than just solar charge storage as initially expected. Such insights can inform marketing and sales strategies (maybe there’s demand for a tailored offering optimized for that use). Having a window into real-world operations allows OEMs to align their product features and support with actual customer needs, strengthening product-market fit. It moves the OEM from just selling hardware to truly understanding the solutions customers are trying to achieve.

• Fleet Analytics and Quality Control: At an aggregate level, Phaseshift data can be mined for patterns across different models or operating environments. OEM quality teams can identify if a particular manufacturing batch has higher fault rates and initiate a recall or targeted maintenance before more failures occur. They can compare performance of equipment in coastal vs. inland locations, or high-cycling vs low-cycling usage, to refine guidelines for installation and operation. Such fleet-wide analytics, which are nearly impossible to do without a unified platform, help OEMs be preemptive in quality assurance and risk management, addressing issues proactively across the installed base rather than reacting site by site.

• New Service Offerings and Revenue Streams: Access to data through Phaseshift also enables OEMs to evolve their business model beyond just selling equipment. Many OEMs are moving toward offering services like “uptime as a service.” With the real-time data in hand, an OEM can confidently offer an enhanced service package, where the OEM guarantees a certain response time or even guarantees performance (since they can monitor and manage it remotely). Predictive maintenance services, remote monitoring subscriptions, and outcome-based contracts become feasible. For the OEM’s customers, such services are valuable because they transfer risk and effort back to the manufacturer (who now has the tools to handle it). For the OEM, it’s a chance to differentiate from competitors and secure recurring revenue. Offering remote monitoring and proactive analytics sets OEMs apart and positions them as long-term partners rather than one-time equipment vendors. This continuous value beyond the initial sale not only boosts customer loyalty but also improves the OEM’s profitability.

In essence, Phaseshift’s unified data platform turns field data into actionable intelligence. OEM executives can make better decisions, from engineering and warranty budgeting to service offerings, grounded in real usage evidence. Over time, this leads to better products, happier customers, and new business opportunities.

Conclusion: Transforming OEM Operations and Customer Relationships

Adopting Phaseshift for unified data access empowers OEMs in solar, energy storage, and related industries to transform how they operate and deliver value. By breaking down the wall between the OEM and the equipment’s life after delivery, Phaseshift fosters a more collaborative and proactive approach:

• From Reactive to Proactive: OEMs move from waiting for failure calls to actively preventing problems. This shift reduces downtime for customers and reduces emergency support costs for OEMs. It creates a cycle of continuous improvement. Relying on real-time monitoring and early fault detection turns maintenance into a competitive advantage, not just a cost center. The OEM becomes synonymous with reliability.

• Stronger Customer Trust: With Phaseshift, OEMs demonstrate that they stand behind their products throughout the lifecycle. When an OEM can notify a plant operator of an issue (and fix it) before the operator even noticed, it builds immense trust. The customer sees the OEM as a partner invested in their success, not just a supplier. This leads to stronger long-term relationships and repeat business. Customers are more likely to choose an OEM who offers such proactive support and data-driven services over one who does not.

• Data-Backed Accountability: Internally and externally, decisions are now backed by data. Warranty discussions, SLA compliance reports, maintenance recommendations, all can be supported with concrete evidence from Phaseshift. This transparency reduces conflicts and speeds up resolutions. It also forces higher accountability on all sides: customers know the OEM is watching the performance (encouraging them to adhere to operating guidelines), and OEMs have nowhere to hide product flaws (encouraging them to improve quality continually). The overall effect is an alignment of interests, everyone wants the equipment to run optimally and efficiently.

• Innovation and New Value Streams: Finally, the data collected opens doors to innovate both the products and the business model. OEMs can confidently iterate designs based on how their equipment truly performs in the field, staying ahead of competitors who lack such insight. They can also monetize their expertise via digital services, turning data into value-added offerings. In a rapidly evolving energy technology landscape, this agility is crucial.

For OEM decision-makers, the message is clear: access to unified, real-time data isn’t just a technical upgrade, it’s a strategic game-changer. Phaseshift provides the platform to make this possible in the solar, storage, and other sectors, where uptime and performance are paramount. 

In conclusion, Phaseshift enables OEMs to transition into the era of connected, service-oriented industry. The OEM gains visibility like never before, the customers gain higher reliability and support, and both sides benefit from a partnership built on data and trust. Embracing such a platform now positions OEMs to thrive in a future where those who think ahead and act on real-world insights will lead the pack. The end result is not just better business outcomes for OEMs, but a more resilient and efficient energy infrastructure for everyone involved.