Who owns the software? If the platform belongs to a third party, your pricing, your data and your payouts are one contract renewal away from changing. Ask to see the partner dashboard before you sign anything.
What is the real definition of uptime in the agreement, and what happens when it is missed? A number without a remedy is a marketing claim.
Who pays for the transformer? This is the single largest swing factor in project cost and the one most often left deliberately vague in early conversations.
How is energy metered for payout, and can you see the meter yourself? Trust is good. An independently readable meter is better.
What happens to your site if the operator raises tariffs? Ask specifically whether you have any say, and get the answer in writing.
How many sites has the operator declined to build in the last year? An operator that has never said no to a location is optimising for signatures, not for your returns.
Who answers the phone at 2am — the operator, or you? Understand exactly which escalations land on your desk.
What is the exit? Contracts end. Know who owns the hardware on the last day, and what it costs to remove or retain it.
Finally: ask for two partner references and call them without the operator on the line. Anyone confident in their programme will hand the numbers over immediately.