Vikram Solar announces long-duration PV reliability test results

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Vikram Solar, an Indian solar module manufacturer and EPC contractor, has announced successful Product Qualification Program (PQP) test results for its Somera monocrystalline silicon and Eldora polycrystalline silicon PV modules. The assessment was done by U.S.-based PV Evolution Labs (PVEL) LLC, an independent solar test lab previously operated by DNV GL.

The modules were submitted for accelerated stress testing and characterization under PQP 2019. The results met and exceeded international quality and performance benchmarks.

“We are glad that our investments in state-of-the-art production technology, top-quality bill of materials and quality control strategies are paying off and this milestone reiterates the long-term performance and bankability guarantees that we bring to the table,” said Ivan Saha, business unit head of manufacturing and CTO, Vikram Solar.

“Bankability of projects will not only ensure that solar gains a greater pie in the energy mix but will also improve the confidence of investors and developers. We are proud that we have been consistently giving customers the right solar modules to make projects bankable.”

The PQP is a comprehensive evaluation of environmental sensitivities and degradation mechanisms of PV module designs. Real-world failure mechanisms are simulated in a controlled laboratory environment, and state-of-the-art module characterization techniques are utilized to measure the performance of panels as they progress through the protocol.

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Vikram Solar's PV modules went through extremely long-duration (up to 4X IEC) test protocols such as thermal cycling, damp heat, UV exposure, dynamic mechanical load, PID tests and light-induced degradation.

Significantly, recently U.S.-headquartered Black & Veatch found the manufacturing processes for the Eldora and Somera modules series at Vikram Solar’s automated plant in Falta, in the Indian state of West Bengal, to be consistent with accepted industry practices.

Vikram Solar has a 1.04 GW EPC portfolio in India, including ground-mounted and rooftop PV projects that are commissioned or under execution. The company has a manufacturing capacity of 1.1 GW, with a customer base across six continents.

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