Do the up-front cost savings associated with PV module value engineering efforts come at the expense of reduced resilience to field conditions of use? To find out, we interviewed Ralf Schulze, an expert in quality assurance, failure mode and effects analysis, system diagnostics, and corrective and preventative maintenance who manages field forensic services for RETC.

Is a decline in the compressive strength of solar module glass partly to blame for some of the unique field failure modes associated with new ultra-large-format PV module designs? In order to learn more about glass manufacturing and reliability science, we interviewed Dr. James Webb of Corning for RETC's sixth annual PV Module Index Report.

For the 2024 PV Module Index Report, RETC sought to better understand the unique field failure modes associated with ultra-large-format PV module designs. Here, we present our interview with an expert in module durability—NREL's Theresa Barnes. Dr. Barnes is the principal investigator and director of NREL's DuraMAT Consortium for module materials research.

As RETC publishes its sixth annual PV Module Index Report, our organization has never been better positioned to support the global energy transition. RETC recently acquired SolarPTL, a photovoltaic testing laboratory based in Tempe, Arizona, with a dedicated outdoor testing facility. This acquisition provides manufacturing companies from Arizona to Texas with a regional partner for product testing and certification.

RETC proudly presents the 2024 PV Module Index Report. Our annual publication showcases industry-leading solar module technologies and manufacturers. RETC has recognized 23 module manufacturers for some form of high achievement across the 14 different testing sequences.

The Lone Star State not only leads the country in terms of wind power capacity, but also is poised to overtake California as the top solar market. Whether the United States does its part to avert a global climate crisis could very well hinge on the solar industry’s ability to weather Texas hailstorms.

RETC (Renewable Energy Test Center), a subsidiary of VDE, has announced the successful acquisition of SolarPTL LLC. By combining capabilities, RETC and SolarPTL will provide clients with the industry’s best in the testing and certification of renewable energy products and systems.

Brian Grenko is the vice president and head of photovoltaic technologies for the engineering advisory firm VDE Americas. Here, we share highlights from a behind-the-scenes PVMI interview that explores market drivers, technology roadmaps, and due diligence for perovskite-based PV modules.

Emboldened by the promise of high module performance at low production costs, companies developing perovskite-based solar cells hope to deploy something new under the sun. In this technical primer, we review the disruptive market potential and possible pitfalls of perovskite-based PV modules.

Nick de Vries is the chief technology officer at Silicon Ranch, a full-service solar and carbon solutions company pioneering large-scale agrivoltaics. Here, we share highlights from a behind-the-scenes PVMI interview that explores the nexus between renewable energy and regenerative land management.

The solar industry will play a prominent role in global efforts to mitigate the worst impacts of human-caused climate change. To do so sustainably, the solar industry must minimize its carbon footprint, mitigate its environmental impacts, promote a circular economy, and field durable products and systems.

Bill Reaugh is the head of power conversion technologies for the engineering advisory firm VDE Americas. Here, we share highlights from a behind-the-scenes PVMI interview, which features Reaugh’s pro tips on utility-scale BESS project risk mitigation.

As variable renewable resources displace dispatchable fossil fuel plants as inputs to the bulk power system, energy storage deployments will provide system operators with a flexible new source of grid-firming capacity. Today, this market trend is most evident in the United States, which leads the world in battery energy storage system (BESS) adoption.

As RETC publishes its fifth annual PV Module Index Report, our work has never been more essential to securing a livable future. Tackling the global climate crisis via mass electrification and deep decarbonization requires massive solar investment, manufacturing, and deployment increases. Thank you for being our partners and collaborators in this momentous endeavor.

RETC proudly presents the 2023 PV Module Index Report. Our annual publication showcases industry-leading solar module technologies and manufacturers. Throughout the 2023 edition of the PVMI Report, RETC has recognized 19 different manufacturers and showcased 78 instances of high achievement.

kWh Analytics’ fifth annual Solar Risk Assessment is out now, featuring hail risk insights from RETC’s Hail Durability Test (HDT) program. Aggregated HDT data show that modules made with tempered glass are approximately twice as resilient to hail impacts as those with heat-strengthened glass.

Cherif Kedir’s article for Solar Builder explores the value proposition behind the industry-wide pivot to large-format PV modules. To help guide industry stakeholders, it also considers the unique technical risks of these new products and recommends strategic risk mitigation approaches.

Forensic analysis is a detailed investigation to establish the root cause of PV system underperformance. If PV module health is suspect, in-field forensic investigations, conducted before or after the commercial operations date, are an invaluable performance-risk-mitigation tool.

World leaders are counting on the U.S. to do its part to mitigate a global climate crisis—and the U.S. cannot achieve its climate-risk mitigation goals without Texas solar. Whether these efforts succeed could hinge on the solar industry’s ability to weather West Texas hailstorms.

Beyond-certification testing is one of the industry’s most valuable tools for mitigating project and supply chain risk. Environmental stresses vary according to location. Product performance differs based on exposure. With the right data, these differences are not random but rather statistically predictable.