PV Module Index (PVMI) tests and the report
The PVMI report highlights different manufacturers showcasing instances of high achievement across three key categories: module quality, performance, and reliability. It provides insights into the latest industry trends such as solar-plus-storage systems and perovskite-based PV technologies, as well as risks related to hail and insurance.
The PVMI report includes results from a series of tests conducted at RETC's accredited laboratories over a 12-month period. The tests examine the durability and performance of PV modules and the Bill of Materials (BOM) used in them. Key testing categories include the Thresher Test, which evaluates modules under long-term reliability and performance conditions, and the Hail Durability Test, which assesses the impact of severe weather conditions on PV modules.
RETC's report also recognizes high-achieving manufacturers in various disciplines, including quality, performance, and reliability. Overall highest achievers are identified based on their excellence across all three categories.
RETC offers services for different stakeholders in the solar industry, including testing and certification, to provide data and quantitative results for decision-making and product market readiness.
RETC (Renewable Energy Test Center) is a leading provider of engineering services and certification testing for renewable energy products. Since its founding in 2009, RETC has partnered with manufacturers, developers, and investors to test a wide range of products, including solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, racking, trackers, power electronics, and battery energy storage systems (BESSs). As an independent testing laboratory with the highest level of accreditation, RETC enables data-driven approaches to product and project development, which mitigate sources of risk and uncertainty. The acquisition of SolarPTL, a pioneer in the field of evaluating photovoltaic quality and performance, is a huge step in providing customers with a complete integrated solution for all their testing and certification needs. Headquartered in Fremont, California, RETC puts customers at the forefront by bringing value to research and development, bankability assessments, and market entry. At their accredited laboratories around the world, they evaluate products using only the latest testing standards and industry-accepted methods. They are united with our customers in the belief that our work enables a safer and more sustainable world.
As a member of the VDE Group, the RETC team will make an increasingly important contribution to VDE's testing and certification services.
More information at www.retc-ca.com
