Kiwa PVEL, an independent laboratory that tests the quality and reliability of solar photovoltaic modules, today announced the results of 10 tests.Number Published annually, the PV Module Reliability Scorecard provides the solar industry with a comprehensive resource that brings together testing insights from Kiwa PVEL’s flagship Product Qualification Program (PQP), an expanded set of reliability and performance tests that analyze modules in a variety of conditions, from temperature and humidity effects during thermal cycling and damp heat to mechanical stress and hail impact assessments. Published annually, the scorecard consolidates the most important test data from the PQP and is available as a free resource at scorecard.pvel.com.
of 10Number In the 2017 edition, Kiwa PVEL named a record 53 makes and 388 model types “Top Performers” in one or more tests, with eight makes being named Top Performers across all categories. Relevant updates to this year’s scorecard include:
- The new Top Performer category for hail highlights modules that experienced no glass breakage from hailstones larger than 40mm.
- The standards for LID+LETID and PAN Top Performers have been raised and as technology improves, so too have the standards for Top Performer qualification.
- Raising awareness of manufacturers who are top performers across multiple categories;
- Key takeaways on the impact of different cell technologies and module designs, and
- First detailed analysis of Kiwa PVEL incident angle modifier (IAM) test results.
“Our 2024 Scorecard demonstrates the strong performance of a diverse range of solar module manufacturers, reflecting the excellence and growth observed in PV manufacturing in recent years,” said Kevin Gibson, Managing Director of Kiwa PVEL. “For over a decade, we have been testing assumptions about solar module reliability and performance while continuing to refine our methodology as the industry continues to innovate with new technologies and module designs. We are proud to continue to set a high bar for manufacturers and provide downstream buyers with the critical information they need to make educated sourcing decisions.”
The complete list of top performers is published on the site as a searchable database, and you can filter results by PQP test, manufacturer name, module type, cell technology and more.
“With over 50,000 unique visitors to the 2023 edition, our Scorecard is the industry’s go-to resource for gaining insight into module reliability. While we celebrate the manufacturing advancements and the number of companies that made it onto our list of top performers, we caution buyers not to become complacent,” said Tristan Erion Lorico, vice president of sales and marketing at Kiwa PVEL. “We encourage everyone to explore each page of the Scorecard to better understand the various test results we see every day in Kiwa PVEL’s labs.”
To be eligible for the 2024 Scorecard, manufacturers must complete a PQP sample production factory witnessing on or after October 1, 2022 and submit at least two factory witnessed PV module samples for every PQP reliability test in accordance with Kiwa PVEL’s BOM testing requirements.
