SolarBuyer, a specialized procurement management company based in Berlin, Germany, and the PI-Photovoltaik Institute Berlin AG (PI-Berlin), a test and certification laboratory headquartered in Berlin, Germany, have created what they say is the solar industry’s first one-stop shop for professional PV module procurement, independent quality assurance and expert product testing services.
The new partnership enables SolarBuyer to offer enhanced module procurement services for project developers, installers and banks that now includes independent module testing by PI-Berlin. The new testing service is focused on evaluating the long-term performance and reliability of PV modules in order to help the buyer secure financing from banks and investors. A new certification (PI-Cert) is available for manufacturers who successfully pass all the tests.
The newly developed service includes a broad range of PV module performance tests, including some tests which are not part of today’s standard IEC or UL testing, but have an important influence on the field performance of modules. It also significantly extends standard IEC-based module stress testing and is designed to identify any critical failure mechanisms in the modules being tested. PI-Berlin is also able to compare the performance and reliability of each module with benchmark data from different manufacturers.
The new testing service was jointly developed by PI-Berlin and SolarBuyer based on demand from the market. PI-Berlin and SolarBuyer are offering the testing and certification service to PV module buyers, banks or investors seeking independent verification that modules will perform reliably in the field over their expected life. The service is also available to PV manufacturers seeking to improve financing options and market potential for their products.
Peter Rusch, Managing Director of SolarBuyer stated that ’This exciting new addition to our service portfolio provides buyers and banks with a brand new way to deal with the lack of relevant quality standards in the industry and help buyers select and purchase investment-grade PV modules’. Mr. Sven Lehmann, Board Member of PI-Berlin AG, said ’We are delighted to be working with SolarBuyer to provide independent module testing that helps the module buyer make the right decisions at a time when selecting the right manufacturer can be a daunting task’.
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