PV Evolution Labs to Present New Solar Panel Reliability Demonstration Test at the Upcoming International PV QA Forum

BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--North America’s premier independent solar panel test lab, PV Evolution Labs (PVEL), has spearheaded the development of a novel solar panel Reliability Demonstration Test and will be discussing this novel method at the upcoming Intersolar 2011 conference in San Francisco, CA. Hosted by NREL and Japan’s AIST and PVTEC the International PV Quality Assurance Forum seeks to reduce risk and add confidence for those developing products, designing incentive programs, and determining private investments in the solar industry.

Typical solar panel warranties and service life expectations have steadily risen from 5 years in the 1980’s to 25 years today. While this impressive operational life has been exceeded by some panels in the field there are many examples of panels and systems underperforming, leading to negative investor returns. Typical projections used to support project finance estimate a 0.5% per year degradation rate with zero catastrophic failure events. Industry experience, primarily in Europe, has taught us that while this level of quality and durability is attainable, it is not a given and appropriate due diligence must be deployed to achieve this level of performance. Panels from two suppliers that exhibit identical performance out of the box can have drastically different performance over time. Mature investors and solar project developers routinely employ rigorous due diligence to minimize technology risk.

PVEL’s new reliability demonstration test is a comprehensive evaluation of a solar panels ability to withstand long term real-world stresses. PVEL’s expertise and unique capabilities are consistently utilized by module manufacturers, solar investors, and project developers to accurately assess solar panel reliability and durability. These third party reports of solar panel performance enable module manufacturers to build up their bankability portfolio.

PV Evolution Labs will participate in the following Intersolar 2011 events:

• Monday, July 11 - 12:00-1:00pm: Panel Discussion: Managing & Optimizing Solar Assets
• Friday, July 15 - 3:30-6:00pm: NREL PV Module QA Forum – Proposed New Tests

PVEL will perform a Reliability Demonstration Test at 4:30pm

About PVEL

Headquartered in Berkeley, CA, PV Evolution Labs was founded on the principle that understanding solar panel performance and aging behavior through careful and rigorous testing is a fundamental aspect of safety, cost reduction, and reliability. For the growing solar R&D, certification, and financial services sectors, PVEL’s secure, expert testing and validation services help companies increase PV quality while reducing time to market. Visit www.PVEL.com for more information.