The PV Evolution Labs (PVEL) 2023 Scorecard identifies 250 solar modules from 35 manufacturers as “top performers.”
The report summarizes the PV Module Product Qualification Program (PQP), a testing system established by PVEL in 2012 to provide empirical information on PV module benchmarking and project-level energy yield and financing models.
Now in its ninth edition, the report offers more than just module testing, while its current iteration includes additional factors such as frames, glass, cells, backplanes, encapsulants and junction boxes. For example, in the backplate category, 24 backplate models were tested, of which 47% used a backplate and 53% used rear glass to cover and protect the back of the modules.
In terms of module technologies, p-type PERC is still the dominant technology among the “top performers” and TOPCon is also rising to the top. This year, 37 TOPCon model types are listed as “top performers,” compared to just one in 2022. Heterojunction (HJT) is also on the rise, with nine HJT modules ranked as top performers, compared to just two last year.
“Solar technology and the manufacturing environment continue to evolve rapidly, and as module supply issues continue, buyers need guidance on how to source the best possible modules for their projects,” said Tristan Erion-Lorico, PVEL’s Director of Sales and Marketing. “Our 2023 Scorecard includes a truly global list of module manufacturers. For buyers around the world who want to understand the critical differences between cell technologies and module designs, the Scorecard provides many important insights and an easy way for developers to search for the best commercially available options.
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