PVEL, an independent test lab for the downstream solar industry, has published its “2023 PV Module Reliability Scorecard.” This year’s edition names 250 model types of PV modules from 35 manufacturers as “top performers” in PVEL’s testing – the most in the company’s history.
The report summarizes results from the PV Module Product Qualification Program (PQP), a testing regime established by PVEL in 2012 to provide empirical data for PV module benchmarking and project-level energy yield and financial models.
Now in its ninth edition, the report provides more than just module testing, while its current iteration includes additional factors such as frames, glass, cells, backsheets, encapsulants and junction boxes. In the backsheet category, for example, 24 backsheet models were tested, 47% of which used a backsheet and 53% used rear glass to cover and protect the back of modules.
In terms of module technologies, p-type PERC is still the dominant technology across the “top performers,” TOPCon is also rising to the top. This year there are 37 TOPCon model types listed as “top performers,” up from just one in 2022. Heterojunction (HJT) is also on the rise, with nine HJT modules rated as a Top Performer, compared to just two last year.
“Solar technology and the manufacturer landscape continue to evolve rapidly, and with module supply issues persisting, buyers need guidance on how to procure the best possible modules for their projects,” said Tristan Erion-Lorico, VP of sales and marketing at PVEL. “Our 2023 Scorecard features a truly global list of module manufacturers. For buyers worldwide looking to understand the critical differences across cell technologies and module designs, our Scorecard provides many key insights and an easy way to search through the best commercially available options for developers.”
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