Testing Basics
Reliability testing basics, the IEC 61215 test sequences and an overview of the MQT items (MQT 05 is a placeholder in the 2021 edition)
Articles
- Offshore PV Goes Mainstream: Salt Mist, Sealing and Wave Splash, Three Trials Every Module Must SurviveOffshore PV is moving from demonstration projects to grid connection at scale, and modules now face not the "wind and sun" of land but long-term combined exposure to heavy salt mist, high humidity and dynamic wave-splash loads. We focus on the three parts most likely to fail: coatings and galvanic corrosion of aluminium frames, ageing of IP68 seals in junction boxes and connectors, and dynamic mechanical loads in the splash zone, and explain what parameters such as "salt mist level 8" and "wet leakage" really mean, so you can see which tests an offshore module actually has to pass.
- The Desert's Hidden Killer: How Much Yield Do AR Coatings Worn Off by Sand Really Cost?The roughly 120 nm anti-reflective (AR) coating on module glass delivers a 2.5–3% yield gain, but under windblown sand erosion and frequent dry cleaning in desert plants it may be worn away within a few years. Starting from thin-film optics, we review the four abrasion tests in IEC 62788-7-3 and the falling-sand method, look at the process routes by which double-layer coatings improve abrasion resistance, and use a simple model to estimate the impact of coating loss on the 25-year yield of bifacial modules.
- Every Material Passed, Yet the Module Died in Damp Heat: What Lies Between IEC 62788 and IEC 61215?Encapsulant, backsheet, flux and silicone each arrive with a passing test report, yet after damp heat the module shows corroded fingers and heavy power loss. This article explains how the IEC 62788 material standards and the IEC 61215 module standards divide the work, where the gap lies, and, using public data from UNSW, NREL and Kiwa PVEL, why compatibility is a property of the BOM rather than of any single material. It closes with practical validation advice for module and material makers.
- 55 PV Plants Surveyed: Is One in Five Modules Cracked? How to Read the NumbersA field survey published in the SPIE/GEESD 2026 proceedings covers 55 PV plants across six regions of China. EL imaging found an average microcrack proportion of 19.92%, while UAV infrared inspection found an average hot-spot proportion of 1.51%. Both rise significantly with years in service; mountain plants show the most microcracks, agrivoltaic plants the most hot spots, and Northwest China ranks highest on both. We comment from three angles: data definitions, cell technology, and O&M/warranty practice.