Posted: 13.07.2010 Go Back Print This Article

Module reliability

TÜV Rheinland PTL to reveal PV module reliability

Fuelled by public incentive programs, the photovoltaic industry's growth in the U.S. continues to rise but possibly at the expense of design quality.  According to TÜV Rheinland PTL, LLC, a member of the world's largest solar and photovoltaic testing network, photovoltaic reliability is sometimes a delicate balance with module performance.  This balance affects the way products are designed.  As a result, some photovoltaic manufacturers are shifting their attention toward product performance features at the expense of design quality.

Dr. Govindasamy Tamizhmani, president of TÜV Rheinland PTL, will discuss the topic in his presentation "PV Modules Performance & Reliability: Impact on KWh/KW" at Intersolar North America's SolarTech Performance Symposium on July 12 at 2:30 p.m. PST. The event will take place at the Intercontinental Hotel, 888 Howard Ave., San Francisco, Calif. According to Dr. Tamizhmani, system engineers accurately predict energy output over several decades by reviewing photovoltaic modules' performance characteristics at different temperatures and irradiances, and ensuring they meet the full requirements of the qualification standards.

Dr. Mani is a professor in the Department of Electronic Engineering Technology at Arizona State University (ASU), the former director of ASU-Photovoltaic Testing Laboratory (ASU-PTL) and the current president of TUV Rheinland PTL, LLC. Dr. Mani has been involved in R&D activities related to photovoltaics and fuel cells for over 25 years, and photovoltaic module testing and certification activities for over 10 years. He has been involved in test standards' development activities since 1996. He has served or has been serving as a member of various standards committees including Canadian Standards Council, IEEE, IEC and ASTM. He has taught or been teaching graduate level courses related to photovoltaics, fuel cells, electrolysis and batteries, and has published more than 50 journal and conference papers. With funding supports from National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia), DOE's Solar ABCs and local utility companies, Dr. Mani's applied research group currently focuses on the performance and reliability issues of photovoltaic modules and systems. Dr. Mani is also a steering committee member of Solar ABCs.