Below are the results of PV+Test, an independent test for solar modules, conducted by TÜV Rheinland and Solarpraxis AG.
To view the details and results in German, visit photovoltaik.
The "Best of" list
Modules which do not survive their guaranteed 20-year lifetime are a nightmare for customers and installers alike. However, PV+Test has been designed to help you choose your modules. The independent test not only assesses products based on performance criteria, but also in terms of durability, electrical safety, workmanship, the quality of documentation provided, warranty terms and ease of installation.
An industry council, put together by the engineering division at Solarpraxis AG, publisher of pv magazine and photovoltaik, created the criteria for this comprehensive assessment. The meetings were open to all manufacturers, test labs and other interested solar experts.
Panel manufacturers paid for these comprehensive, and hence expensive, tests. Nonetheless, they remain independent. The accredited TÜV Rheinland test lab performed the measurements without any input from the manufacturers, who were only allowed to decide whether their name would be published alongside their scores. If not, their scores were nonetheless included, anonymously, in the results. Understandably, manufacturers whose modules did not perform particularly well did not want to reveal their identity. Therefore, PV+Test is a "best of" list.
Customers can use the scoring system to see how the published results compare to the overall scores. TÜV Rheinland and Solarpraxis will continue to run the tests, and PV+Test will to continue to grow. As soon as a new panel passes the test, pv magazine will publish the scores.
Scoring system
| Modules tested: 8 | ||||||||
| excellent | excellent (-) | good (+) | good | good (-) | satisfactory (+) | satisfactory | poor | very poor |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Summary of PV+Test results
| Solon (Solon Blue 230/07) |
Schott Solar (SCHOTT POLY 290) | Schott Solar (SCHOTSharp (NU-180E1) | Mitsubishi Electric (PV-TD185MF5) | Conergy (PowerPlus 225P) | Sovello (SV-X-195-fa1) | Perfect Solar (PS230-6P-TOP | |
| Made in | Germany | Germany | Japan | Japan | Germany | Germany | Germany/OEM (original manufacturer in Taiwan) |
| Size (millimeters) | 1,640 mm x 1,000 mm x 42 mm | 1,685 mm x 1,281 mm x 50 mm | 1,318 mm x 994 mm x 46 mm | 1,658 mm x 834 mm x 46 mm | 1,651 mm x 986 mm x 46 mm | 1,650 mm x 951 mm x 46 mm | 1,663 mm x 997 mm x 39 mm |
| Weight | 23.0 kg | 41.5 kg | 16.0 kg | 17.0 kg | 19.6 kg | 18.6 kg | 22.0 kg |
| Cell type | Polycrystalline 6-inch cells | Polycrystalline 6-inch cells | Monocrystalline 6-inch cells | Polycrystalline 6-inch cells | Polycrystalline 6-inch cells | String-ribbon cells | Polycrystalline 6-inch cells |
| Module type | glass/EVA/cells/EVA/foil | glass/EVA/cells/EVA/glass | glass/EVA/cells/EVA/foil | glass/EVA/cells/EVA/foil | glass/EVA/cells/EVA/foil | glass/EVA/cells/EVA/foil | glass/EVA/cells/EVA/foil |
| Specified performance | 235 watts | 290 watts | 180 watts | 185 watts | 225 watts | 195 watts | 230 watts |
| Output tolerance (negative, positive, in percent) | (-0%,+2,1%) | (-0%, not specified) | (-5%, +10%) | (-3%, not specified) | (0%, 2.5%) | (0%, +2.6%) | (-3%,+3%) |
| Individual evaluation | |||||||
| Performance parameters (20%) | +++ | +++ | + | + | +++ | ++ | + |
| Aging behavior (25%) | +++ | +++ | ++ | ++ | + | + | + |
| Documentation (15%) | +++ | +++ | +++ | +++ | +++ | +++ | + |
| Electrical safety (25%) | +++ | +++ | +++ | +++ | +++ | ++ | ++ |
| Processing (10%) | + | ++ | +++ | + | ++ | 0 | ++ |
| Warranty and ease of installation (5%) | +++ | + | +++ | ++ | +++ | +++ | ++ |
| Results within the requirements of IEC 61215 and IEC 61730 | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes* | yes | yes |
| Overall evaluation (maximum 100 points) | 94.29 | 91.3 | 90.7 | 89.0 | 88.1 | 84.3 | 80.0 |
| Scores | excellent | excellent (-) | excellent (-) | good (+) | good (+) | good | good (-) |
The PV+Test experts believe the tests ran very positively. Most of the modules were scored as “good” or “excellent” and are thus in line with state-of-the-art technology. Only one module was scored as “poor”. Its manufacturer rejected publication, as did another whose panels ranked as “good”. The overall score is based on a large number of measurements conducted by TÜV Rheinland, not all of which are included in the table. pv magazine subscribers can, however, refer to both the PV+Test glossary and accompanying article, for full details. Each item receives a score from zero to ten, and each of these scores is weighted as part of the total score. The total scores are defined as follows: ≥ 90 % of the maximum number of points -> excellent ≥ 80 % -> good ≥ 70 % -> satisfactory ≥ 50 % -> poor < 50 % -> very poor. The sub-items are assessed as: +++/ ++/ +/ o / -. The industry council came up with the weighting for the sub-items towards the overall score. *Conergy: In the insulation measurement after temperature fluctuations, leakage current was detected at the plug of one of the two modules tested, which is in violation of the IEC standard. The second measurement taken was, however, successful (see article). PV+Test is protected by copyright, and the table can only be reproduced with the consent of Solarpraxis AG and TÜV Rheinland. For more information see: www.pvtest.de/index_en.html |
New module on top, pv magazine 11/11: Two modules went through PV+Test in September. Solon Blue 230/07 now leads the list of holders of the TÜV Rheinland and Solarpraxis AG seal of quality, while the other clearly showed everything that could go wrong.
PV+Test article, pv magazine 02/11
Quality assurance: PV+Test is a new quality label to help customers navigate the module market. The first results are promising. Most of the modules that underwent the independent test fulfill the requirements. On the other hand, there are some clear differences in individual categories.
How PV+Test works
Glossary: PV+Test uses a wide range of measurement results and other module properties in its assessment. The assessment scheme shows what experts think makes up a good module.
PV+Test: Module tests help you choose modules. On the one hand, manufacturers like that. On the other, they fear it. Andreas Cox, test engineer at TÜV Rheinland reports on the reactions.
Tested modules
Solon Blue 230/07
The Solon Blue 230/07 is a polycrystalline module. Besides the 230-watt power class tested, it is also available in power classes from 225 to 260 watts. It has a hollow frame, and the front glass consists of solar glass four millimeters thick. This, Solon says, makes the module very stable. The high quality of the module is quoted as justifying its slightly higher price. It is therefore vaunted as a typical module for residential buildings. The firm adds that project developers also install it frequently on large industrial roofs and, to some extent, in ground-mounted solar installations. This module has been available on the European market since April 2009. Since then, modules with a total output of approximately 200 megawatts have been produced. For the U.S. market, Solon offers a variant with a UL-certified junction box. The module has also held an MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) certificate for the British market since February 2010. Solon says this module is the company’s best-selling product. It is also obtainable in a monocrystalline version under the name Solon Black 230/07.
Schott Solar Schott Poly 290
The Schott Poly 290 has a nominal output of 290 watts and has been on sale since 2008. It consists of 80 polycrystalline cells and is the only module in the tests that not only has a glass pane on the front, but also on the back. Schott Solar says the two panes protect the module especially well from the weather and points out that glass is impenetrable to water, water vapor, acids, ammonia, oils and solvents; the panel is also suitable for areas with great snow and wind loads. The module is reportedly very durable, making it basically interesting for all market segments from residential to commercial and ground-mounted. Although the module is relatively heavy compared to modules with a much lighter rear foil, the Poly 290 is also installed on roofs. The manufacturer says that 50 megawatts of this panel have already been sold; it is the successor to the ASE 260, of which more than 100 megawatts were produced. In July 2010, Schott introduced a linear performance guarantee of 82.5 percent of nominal output in 30 years. In May, Schott Solar is launching a smaller version of the panel, the Poly 185.
Sharp NU-180E1
Sharp's monocrystalline module has a nominal output of 180 watts and has been on sale since 2007. The manufacturer says that 180 megawatts of this panel, which was designed for applications that require great output and can be used everywhere, have already been sold since. The surface of the cells is reportedly structured to increase module yield. Sharp uses tempered white glass. The development is based on 50 years of experience in the photovoltaic sector. The manufacturer also offers a 185 watt version of the module tested. Since the test was conducted, Sharp has made some minor changes to the module frame to make the panel a bit lighter (the new product number is NU-180E1H).
Mitsubishi Electric PV TD 185 MF5
Mitsubishi's polycrystalline module has been on sale since the second quarter of 2008; it has a nominal output of 185 watts. The manufacturer says that more than 100 megawatts of this module have already been installed. It is Mitsubishi's first model that can be used in all applications, unlike its modules for economical and design-oriented applications. The firm says it places great store on electrical safety, so the panel has dedicated sockets for each of the two connections, which are also cast in an inflammable material. A total of three bypass diodes are used. For mechanical stiffness, the module has a diagonal support on the back, to which a cross brace is attached to facilitate installation. The firm also says it pays attention to environmental impact during manufacturing; no lead is used for soldering, and the module complies with the EU's RoHS directive.
Conergy PowerPlus 225P
Conergy’s PowerPlus 225P panel is a further development of a polycrystalline module that went on sale in 2007. The manufacturer says it is good for all segments from small and midsized homes (residential) to larger commercial buildings and utility-scale power plants. In addition, the module reportedly has especially good low-light performance and very good yield, because the structured solar glass does not reflect much light; in addition, the contacts in the socket are all soldered in a fully automated process to ensure good quality. Conergy says another advantage is that the module can be installed in the landscape or portrait mode to provide installers with more flexibility, and the module has also passed the German Agricultural Society's ammonia test, which is required for farms. Furthermore, the module has a plug connector that can be fixated with a twist. Some 250 megawatts of the module have reportedly already been installed.
Sovello SV-X-195
Sovello’s SV-X-195 has a nominal output of 195 watts and is reportedly useful in a large number of market segments, from small and midsize homes (residential) to larger commercial buildings, farm buildings, slanted roofs, flat roofs and ground-mounted arrays. It is the only module in the test with polycrystalline wafers made in the string-ribbon process. Here, silicon wafers are drawn out of the molten silicon between two wires so they have the right thickness and width from the outset. Sovello therefore does not have to saw its wafers as most of its competitors do, which reportedly reduces energy and silicon consumption by around 50 percent. As a result, energy payback – the time that a module needs to generate the amount of electricity used for its manufacture – is faster. Among the benefits the module offers, Sovello lists good performance under partial shading, because of the way the cells are switched. Under shading, yield is reportedly up to 10 percent greater than in modules with conventional switching, which increases the area efficiency for arrays that use stands, because the distance between the rows can be reduced. The firm also says that low-light performance is very good and that the solar glass' antireflective coating increases yield.
Perfect Solar PS 230-6P-TOP
Perfect Solar's 1.66 square meter module has a nominal output of 230 watts and has been on sale since the end of 2008. The manufacturer says eight to ten megawatts of the module, which can be installed on roofs or in ground-mounted arrays, have already been sold. The module reportedly has a "top nano" coating that mimics the lotus effect to keep the module clean and thereby ensure high yield. Perfect Solar guarantees that the module does not contain heavy metals and is therefore recyclable. The firm also says it is "made with German technology," meaning that a company in Taiwan handles panel production using machines and materials from Germany.
PV+Test homepage
On PV+Test’s website, you will find more information about the meetings of the industrial council and further details. All manufacturers are invited to take part in the tests. If you are a manufacturer and wish to participate, please contact the test experts.
TÜV Rheinland
Click here for an overview of TÜV's approach to the task, and the PV+Test results.