Sinovoltaics now offers quality assurance for U.S. solar and storage markets

Backed by Munich Re, Sinovoltaics uses a proprietary AI-based electro luminescence (EL) technology to identify microcracks and other module defects before shipping.

January 17, 2024 Anne Fischer

Image: Pixabay

Sinovoltaics, a specialist in quality assurance for the solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) industries, is entering the U.S. market.

The company has developed SELMA (Sinovoltaics EL mass analysiswhich, the company says, inspects 100% of purchased modules for microcracks and other cell-inherent defects. The company offers a quality guarantee underwritten by Munich Re, a global insurance leader.

Called “Zero Risk Solar”, the quality inspection service that uses the company’s AI-driven electroluminescence (EL) analysis to review modules and guarantee that orders are 100% free of microcracks and other defects before shipping. Sinovoltaics reports that If any warranty claim is filed within three years, Sinovoltaics will pay liquidated damages to cover costs, such as de-assembly, manpower, and logistics.

The company has been offering inspection by SELMA since 2020 and it has been implemented at all the major Tier 1 solar manufacturers outside the U.S., the company reports. In 2023 alone, more than 4 million PV modules were inspected. Using SELMA, the company reports that replacement rates of 1% to 3% were common at Tier 1 factories, preventing hundreds of thousands of defective PV modules from being shipped.

“100 percent module inspections is the only way to ensure high performance solar projects,” said Dricus de Rooij, co-founder and CEO of Sinovoltaics. “Our goal is to help solar manufacturers to deliver—and for solar developers to receive—the highest quality solar modules. That’s why Sinovoltaics inspects 100 percent of PV modules and does not rely on sampling methods. Every module is inspected by SELMA and replaced, if necessary, before their clients’ orders leave the factory.

“Our objective is that our clients operate high performing projects for more than 40 years. In the event that a warranty claim occurs on-site, we have skin in the game to compensate our clients through our insurance partner, Munich Re,” de Rooij added.

Sinovoltaics reports that its success is based on its experience auditing more than 200 solar PV module factories, more than 35 energy storage and inverter manufacturing facilities, and inspecting more than 18 GW of solar and storage products at factories across 15+ countries for clients from over 45 countries across 6 continents.

The company’s credentials include certification to ISO 17020, ISO 9001, as well as a CQI/IRCA-accredited and SA8000-certified team of auditors, showcasing its commitment to excellence and rigorous quality standards.

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