New markets for large-scale photovoltaic power plants open up new investment opportunities for investors and financiers, who require reliable information on the technical quality of systems to safeguard their returns. TÜV Rheinland will present results from a recent internal study, in which field investigations identified planning and design errors, product weaknesses and a range of installation defects.
These include significant errors that reduce system performance from the moment of commissioning or can increase performance losses during operation. Individual error mechanisms lead to a massive input of money that can seriously impair a project’s profitability or lead to losses. Holistic quality assurance can prevent serious errors and significantly reduce risk. Technical quality must be rethought, implemented and enforced by users such as investors, banks, operators and insurance companies. Cost pressure often still overrides sensitivity to sustainable quality when making project decisions. During the trade fair, TÜV Rheinland – a service provider with many years of experience in system and product testing – will present solutions for holistic technical evaluation and risk minimization in PV investments.
Applied research projects highlight the risks of PV systems and form the basis for deriving appropriate countermeasures. As an example, TÜV Rheinland will present the results of its current research on its commitment to minimizing risk in relation to fire hazards in photovoltaic systems. Findings from this project will increase the safety of systems and rescue services. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy supports this work and is promoting further innovative topics in growth markets, such as the safety, reliability and performance of photovoltaic systems with electrical storage and the development of suitable switch devices. Solutions to the issues of bankability and PV system performance are supported by the EU or the International Energy Agency (IEA) in international research teams led by TÜV Rheinland.
TÜV Rheinland, the world’s leading provider of testing services for the solar industry, has been accompanying the development of solar technology as an independent testing service provider for around 35 years now. Today, the company employs some 200 experts worldwide. The focus here is on qualifying PV systems with more than 12 GWp and inspected PV power plants in various markets and climate conditions. TÜV Rheinland first started laboratory-scale technical testing of solar components back in 1985. As the global market leader for the testing and certification of solar systems, TÜV Rheinland operates test laboratories in Bangalore (India), Gyeongsan (Korea), Cologne (Germany), Yokohama (Japan), Shanghai (China), Taichung (Taiwan) and Tempe (USA). New test laboratories for storage systems and inverters have recently been established in Germany. Not only are the specialists involved in testing modules and components – they are also developing new test methods, collaborating on R&D projects for the use of solar energy and assisting customers worldwide with the construction of solar power plants.
Note for journalists
TÜV Rheinland at Intersolar Europe 2015: June 10–12, Messe München
Hall A1, Stand 458
Press conference with TÜV Rheinland to present the Solar Quality Monitor on June 10, 2015, at 12:30 p.m. at Stand 458 in Hall A1.