Quality

Also on the rise: Rooftop solar fires are a real and growing risk, A-SMACC says it could refile anti-dumping tariff petitions, and five New England colleges now are powered by solar under a novel PPA arrangement.

The testing is intended to offer inverter buyers an opportunity to leverage empirical data over the claims of product marketing materials.

Multiple factors affect the productive lifespan of a residential solar inverter. In Part 2 of our series, we look at solar inverters.

Multiple factors affect the productive lifespan of a residential solar panel. In the first part of this series, we look at the solar panels themselves.

The free checklists offer a step-by-step process for interpreting the Sunshine State’s structural, electrical, and fire safety codes as well as an equipment quality guide.

The Structural Engineering Institute committee will focus on the structural and geotechnical design of structures that support PV modules on building rooftops, carports, and ground mount facilities.

“Determining how many years a solar panel will last can take, well, years.”

This year’s pv magazine Quality Roundtable USA looked at extreme weather, and how resiliency can be built through modern O&M. Representatives from DuPont, Stäubli, Nextracker and RETC took to the virtual stage to discuss weather-related damages, and how to harness quality materials and workmanship to industry’s advantage, particularly when it comes to insurers. Ariel Re and NovaSource, meanwhile, looked at issues like risk management insurance solutions and asset stabilization. Case studies and presentations on the field performance of PV modules, and extreme hail and fire, were also included.

Scientists led by NREL have developed a new stress testing protocol for PV modules, one designed to simultaneously expose modules to multiple stresses, as they likely would be in the field. Putting modules through this test, the researchers have already been able to reveal new information regarding backsheet degradation, and they promise new insights into other degradation mechanisms.

Dean Solon of Shoals Technologies Group: “The short version is that it’s been a damned good year.” An interview with Shoals covers the growth of large solar projects in the U.S., high AC/DC ratios and the real costs of using cheap components.