Interim findings from a major survey on PV module quality being undertaken by PV Tech have revealed an even split within the industry between those who have and have not experienced problems with module equipment.
The survey, which closes next week, is being run in conjunction with PV Tech's sister website, Solar Power Portal, and DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions.
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It has already attracted input from project developers, EPCs and installers from the commercial and rooftop sectors from a wide number of countries around the world.
So far the survey has revealed that almost an equal amount of respondents have not experienced module quality issues as those that have.
It has also has reinforced the growing trend within the industry towards module procurement direct from manufacturers, however this applies across all downstream market segments and not just from an obvious perspective of large EPCs and project developers.
With direct procurement growing, there is a trend towards module purchasers actively specifying key module sub-components such as backsheet material. However, the clear majority of those respondents that have undertaken the survey so far do not as yet make specific sub-component stipulations.
This finding is supported in the survey by a predominant number of purchasers relying on PV manufacturers' documentation, specification sheets and flash test power readout data as the primary way to meet quality assurance requirements.
However, over a third of respondents require third-party manufacturing audit reports ahead of purchasing, and almost the same in percentage terms also rely on third-party recommendations.
The survey is open for a further week, ending at the end of July, and can be accessed through this link.