Connector problems, including mismatches between different manufacturers, are some of the most common issues cited among reasons for declining solar plant performance.
According to Stephan Padlewski, regional market manager of DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions, EMEA, around 25% of the modules tested in the company’s field survey program display some early phase of degradation after just five years in operation. The downstream and investment community is now asking experts why those problems are appearing, and what should they do to mitigate the risks for future investments.
The root problems of these issues, however, can be difficult to determine. Additionally, the roundtable looked at systemic approaches to questions of quality and reliability in a discussion which is ongoing.
Key take-aways from the round-table were that testing itself is not enough, and the monitoring of production is absolutely necessary. Batch testing to make sure that materials are stable is also recommended, as well as field testing and installation testing.
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