PV Evolution Labs' Crowd Power Product Qualification Program helps solar inverter buyers minimize technology risk through direct access to data that quantifies product performance
PV Evolution Labs (PVEL), the leading independent test laboratory for the downstream solar and energy storage market and a member of the Kiwa Group, is now working directly with solar investors, developers and system owners to test inverters as part of its new Crowd Power Product Qualification Program. to be tested (PQP). The tests are carried out on commercially procured inverters as part of a crowdsourcing business model that does not require the manufacturer to be involved.
"From financial losses to insecure system operation, the consequences of a defective inverter range from frustrating to dangerous – yet third-party inverter data is notoriously difficult to obtain from manufacturers," commented C.J. Colavito, VP of Engineering at Standard Solar. "PVEL's Crowd Power PQP enables quality-driven companies like ours to pool resources for data-driven inverter diligence that will reduce the risk associated with introducing inverters with limited field use."
The tests in the Inverter Crowd Power PQP are consistent with the tests in the traditional Inverter PQP from PVEL, which PVEL first introduced in 2014. Both programs include on-site representative safety, reliability, and performance tests under a variety of environmental and connectivity conditions to support:
Datasheet validation for more accurate performance and revenue models.
Reliability ratings for improved predictive accuracy of operating and maintenance costs and replacement rates.
Safety assessments for reliable arc and earth fault detection in field systems.
“PVEL's crowdsourcing testing gives inverter buyers the opportunity to use empirical data about claims made by product marketing materials. Initial feedback from our downstream partners has been overwhelmingly positive, ”commented Tara Doyle, PVEL's Chief Commercial Officer. "With or without manufacturer participation, we will ensure that PVEL's technical knowledge for the use of high-quality devices is available to the solar market."
The Inverter Crowd Power PQP complements and complements the traditional PQP tests from PVEL, which are still available to manufacturers. Ginlong Solis and Chint Power Systems recently submitted next generation inverters with 250+ kilowatt hours to PVEL for testing. However, the vast majority of inverter suppliers typically do not conduct independent tests that exceed certification standards to support comprehensive benchmarking of product quality and bankability.
In contrast, over fifty PV module manufacturers have tested their products at PVEL, and twenty-five suppliers conduct frequent, regular tests. Since the introduction of the PV Module PQP by PVEL in 2012, the reliability of the PV modules has improved significantly overall, despite ongoing challenges. For example, the average degradation rates in the thermal cycling test of PVEL have improved by almost 70% since 2012.
"The most effective tool for improving product quality is validated data that objectively measures performance and reliability," commented Jack Bennett, CEO of NovaSource Power Services. “Inverters are the essential interface between solar power systems, batteries and the public power grid. If these products are not reliable, we cannot rely on the PV infrastructure to generate clean electricity for decades to come. "
To learn more about PVEL's Crowd Power PQP, visit https://www.pvel.com/crowd-power-inverter-pqp/
About PV Evolution Labs (PVEL)
PVEL is the leading independent laboratory for the downstream solar and energy storage industry and a member of the Kiwa Group. As a pioneer in bankability testing, PVEL has collected more than a decade of measured reliability and performance data for PV and storage devices. Today, PVEL offers developers, investors and plant owners a range of technical services to mitigate risk, optimize financing and improve system performance throughout the project lifecycle. PVEL's flagship product qualification programs for PV modules, inverters and energy storage systems connect manufacturers with a global network of more than 400 downstream partners with an annual purchasing power of more than 30 gigawatts. Learn how PVEL makes data important at pvel.com.