https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/ PV knowledge base: practical PV module engineering, from materials to failure en-US https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/standards/basics/why-separate-component-certification https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/standards/basics/why-separate-component-certification The module already holds IEC 61215 and IEC 61730 certificates — so why must junction boxes, connectors, cables and backsheets obtain certificates of their own, while glass, encapsulant and ribbon usually do not? This article explains which auxiliary materials need separate certification, which IEC component standards apply, and what problem that actually solves. Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/standards/iec-ts-62915/minimal-samples-retest-guide https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/standards/iec-ts-62915/minimal-samples-retest-guide Module makers qualify second and third sources, thin their wafers and trim encapsulant grammage almost every week, and each change can touch an IEC 61215/61730 certificate. Built around IEC TS 62915:2023, this article explains the three yardsticks for deciding whether something counts as a change, the few 'fatal' changes that demand full requalification, the retest menu for common material changes, a junction-box retest matrix, and practical strategies for representative samples and bundled changes. Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/basics/single-diode-model https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/basics/single-diode-model A current source, a diode and two resistors explain every change on an I-V curve. In eight figures we show what Rs, Rsh, I0 and n each control, and how to work back from a curve''s shape to the underlying problem. Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/uv-adhesive/0bb-adhesive-crosslinking-poison https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/uv-adhesive/0bb-adhesive-crosslinking-poison In 0BB modules, the tiny adhesive dots that hold ultra-fine ribbons in place can contain amines, thiols or radical inhibitors. During lamination these diffuse into the surrounding POE/EVA and consume or intercept the radicals from the peroxide crosslinker, leaving a ring of under-cured, sometimes almost uncrosslinked, encapsulant around the ribbon. This article explains the crosslinking mechanism, the three classes of poisoning species, the failure signature and its consequences, and practical detection and prevention methods. Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/frontiers/recycling/pv-module-recycling https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/frontiers/recycling/pv-module-recycling The first PV modules installed around 2000 are reaching their 25-year design life. How are old modules taken apart, are they worth anything, and where does the industry stand? Drawing on IRENA''s 2026 report, HJ 1463-2026 and China''s six-department guidance on module utilisation, we look at the state, market and outlook of PV module recycling. Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/basics/bom-failure-ranking-2026 https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/basics/bom-failure-ranking-2026 There is no public, authoritative ranking of complaint rates for module BOM materials, but the 2026 Kiwa PVEL Scorecard and its September follow-up analysis provide solid substitute data. Drawing also on IEA PVPS, kWh Analytics and UNSW research, we rank glass, encapsulant, junction box, frame, sealant and potting, ribbon and flux, silver paste and backsheet by failure risk and review each one. Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/frontiers/recycling/tpo-creep-recyclability https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/frontiers/recycling/tpo-creep-recyclability With the EU WEEE revision and the Circular Economy Act approaching, the bar for PV exports is shifting from 'can it be collected' to 'can it be taken apart'. Today's 85% target is weight-based: glass plus the aluminium frame nearly meet it, while hard-to-recover silver and high-purity silicon are not measured at all. We unpack three technical bottlenecks: crosslinked EVA/POE encapsulants that resist delamination, fluorinated backsheets that release HF during pyrolysis, and non-crosslinked TPO encapsulants that separate easily but must pass the IEC 61730-2 MST 37 creep test. Creep resistance and recyclability are fighting over the same temperature window. Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/tpo-creep-recyclability https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/tpo-creep-recyclability With the EU WEEE revision and the Circular Economy Act approaching, the bar for PV exports is shifting from 'can it be collected' to 'can it be taken apart'. Today's 85% target is weight-based: glass plus the aluminium frame nearly meet it, while hard-to-recover silver and high-purity silicon are not measured at all. We unpack three technical bottlenecks: crosslinked EVA/POE encapsulants that resist delamination, fluorinated backsheets that release HF during pyrolysis, and non-crosslinked TPO encapsulants that separate easily but must pass the IEC 61730-2 MST 37 creep test. Creep resistance and recyclability are fighting over the same temperature window. Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/design/basics/module-sizes-converged-2382x1134 https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/design/basics/module-sizes-converged-2382x1134 Width fixed at 1,134 mm, length settling around 2,382 mm: the convergence of mainstream module formats was not an arbitrary industry convention but the optimum set by three hard boundaries: the 40-foot high-cube container, mounting structures and mechanical loads, and the cutting of silicon ingots. We work through all three, and explain why a mere "initiative" was enough to bring the whole industry to the same point. Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/reliability/other-tests/thermal-runaway/bypass-diode-thermal-runaway https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/reliability/other-tests/thermal-runaway/bypass-diode-thermal-runaway Certification tests check bypass-diode junction temperature at 1.25 × Isc. But a bifacial module installed over snow or a white roof, hit by cloud-edge enhancement, can push 1.6–1.9 × its STC short-circuit current through the diode. Using a reproducible estimate, we map two boundaries — forward junction temperature and thermal-runaway critical temperature — and propose a four-step method for thermal derating under real operating conditions. Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/reliability/failure-basics/0bb-adhesive-crosslinking-poison https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/reliability/failure-basics/0bb-adhesive-crosslinking-poison In 0BB modules, the tiny adhesive dots that hold ultra-fine ribbons in place can contain amines, thiols or radical inhibitors. During lamination these diffuse into the surrounding POE/EVA and consume or intercept the radicals from the peroxide crosslinker, leaving a ring of under-cured, sometimes almost uncrosslinked, encapsulant around the ribbon. This article explains the crosslinking mechanism, the three classes of poisoning species, the failure signature and its consequences, and practical detection and prevention methods. Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/basics/glossary/pv-glossary-340-terms https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/basics/glossary/pv-glossary-340-terms A bilingual glossary of 340 frequently used PV technical terms in 11 categories — cells, modules, materials, processes, reliability, failure analysis, quality, certification and power plants — with abbreviations, full English names and standard Chinese industry terms. Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/uv-adhesive/uv-adhesives-0bb-bc https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/uv-adhesive/uv-adhesives-0bb-bc Acrylic, epoxy, epoxy–acrylic hybrid and urethane–acrylic hybrid: what is each kind of UV adhesive like, and how are they used as 0BB fixing adhesives and BC insulation adhesives? Starting from formulation and curing mechanisms, we compare the four families and review the current state, selection logic and common pitfalls in both applications. Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-future https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-future This is the final article of our PV encapsulant series. The first twelve covered the encapsulant of today; this one looks at tomorrow: crosslinking-free thermoplastic encapsulants, low-temperature encapsulation, the encapsulation challenges of perovskite and tandem cells, new applications in lightweight flexible modules and space PV, and the new demands that recycling places on encapsulants. Drawing on NREL and Dow's perovskite encapsulation research, an EPJ Photovoltaics recycling study and 2026 industry developments, we try to answer where encapsulants go next, which directions are already under way and which still need time. Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-industry-landscape https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-industry-landscape The first eleven articles were about technology; this one is about the industry. In this twelfth article of our PV encapsulant series, we follow the chain from upstream resins to midstream encapsulants to downstream modules and use 2025 annual reports and the latest 2026 periodic reports to answer three questions: how the "one giant, several strong players" structure formed, who is losing money and who is recovering after this round of price war, and what domestic production of EVA and POE resins has changed for the industry. Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-selection-qualification https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-selection-qualification The first ten articles were about the encapsulant itself; this one takes the module maker's seat: what gates must a new encapsulant pass between selection and volume use? In this eleventh article of our PV encapsulant series, we walk through four stages (selection, validation, certification and volume-production control), set out what to check and test at each, explain how material tests, module reliability tests and BOM certification relate, and what IEC TS 62915 requires for material changes, and finally sum up the five most common pitfalls when changing encapsulants. Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-reliability-testing https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-reliability-testing Article 5 covered material-level ageing of encapsulants; this one covers module-level reliability testing, where the encapsulant is tested inside a complete module together with cells, ribbons, glass and backsheet. In this tenth article of our PV encapsulant series, we go through the damp heat, thermal cycling, humidity freeze, UV and PID tests of IEC 61215 and the encapsulant job each one examines, then use the encapsulant-related findings of the Kiwa PVEL 2026 Reliability Scorecard to discuss why passing certification does not mean reliable, and how to judge the encapsulant's share of blame after a test failure. Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-failures https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-failures Encapsulant problems usually surface only after a plant has run for several years, and they can hardly be repaired. In this ninth article of our PV encapsulant series, we break down five typical encapsulant-related failures (yellowing, acetic acid corrosion, snail trails, delamination and bubbles, and PID) using a "symptom, mechanism, diagnosis, prevention" structure, and draw on work by IEA PVPS, Fraunhofer and Kiwa PVEL to set out a troubleshooting path from the field to the lab. Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-cost-efficiency https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-cost-efficiency As module prices keep falling, encapsulant's share of module cost has risen by default. In this eighth article of our PV encapsulant series, we use 2026 public prices to work through three sums: what the encapsulant in a module is worth; how much reducing grammage, replacing POE with EPE and differentiating front and rear can each save; and how many watts of gain \"efficiency\" solutions such as white and down-converting films need to cover their premium. Finally, we flag the sum most easily overlooked: reliability. Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-cell-technology https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-cell-technology Almost every encapsulant upgrade has a change in cell or module technology behind it. In this seventh article of our PV encapsulant series, we follow the path from PERC through bifacial glass-glass, TOPCon, HJT and BC to see the new questions each generation put to encapsulant, from PID to UV, from water barrier to corrosion, and on to rear-side insulation, and draw on research from Kiwa PVEL, Fraunhofer ISE and UNSW to discuss what encapsulant can and cannot fix. Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-lamination https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-lamination All five of the encapsulant's jobs are \"completed\" in the laminator, so the same good roll can give different results under a different lamination profile. In this sixth article of our PV encapsulant series, we start from how a laminator works, break down the evacuation, pressing and curing stages, use measured data to show why degree of cure is a function of \"time × temperature\", compare lamination of EVA, POE and glass-glass modules, and set out the causes of and fixes for common problems such as bubbles, cell shift, squeeze-out and under-cure. Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-key-indicators https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-key-indicators An encapsulant technical agreement or test report often lists a dozen or more indicators. Which matter most? How are the numbers measured? And what does each pass line really mean? In this fifth article of our PV encapsulant series, we group the indicators by the "five jobs" and, drawing on the association standards T/CPIA 0004—2017 (EVA encapsulant) and T/CPIA 0071—2024 (co-extruded encapsulant), explain the test methods, pass lines and common pitfalls for degree of cure, peel strength, transmittance, volume resistivity, water vapour transmission and post-ageing performance. Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-manufacturing https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-manufacturing Formulation sets an encapsulant's ceiling; manufacturing decides whether it reaches that ceiling consistently. In this fourth article of our PV encapsulant series, we walk down an encapsulant line (compounding, low-temperature extrusion, embossing and cooling, haul-off and thickness gauging, winding and slitting, and packaging) and focus on pre-crosslinking, shrinkage, grammage uniformity and co-extrusion layer control, and what each looks like at the module plant when it goes out of control. Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/connector/connector-cross-mating-fretting https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/connector/connector-cross-mating-fretting A module ships with brand-A connectors, the extension cable carries brand B, both are labelled “MC4-compatible” and click together perfectly — yet a few years later the joint can be a charred lump. Starting from differences in contact-spring design, plating and tolerances, this article unpacks the micron-scale fretting driven by day–night temperature swings, works through the heat budget from milliohms to fire, clarifies what IEC 62852, IEC 62548 and related standards actually require, and closes with a practical checklist for EPC and O&M teams. Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-formulation https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-formulation Two encapsulant makers can buy the same EVA or POE resin yet produce films that differ widely in crosslinking, adhesion and ageing resistance; the difference lies in the formulation. In this third article of our PV encapsulant series, we break a film down into \"resin base + four classes of additives\": the trade-offs in EVA's VA content and melt index, why POE resin has long been a bottleneck, what crosslinkers, silane coupling agents, anti-ageing additives and functional additives each do, and why formulation is an art of balance. Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-family https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-family Transparent EVA, white EVA, POE, co-extruded EPE and down-converting films, plus niche routes such as PVB, TPO and silicone: PV encapsulant has long since stopped being a single material. In this second article of our PV encapsulant series, we use two threads, "resin base + functionalisation", to sort out the family: which of the five jobs from the previous article each member does best, where its weaknesses lie, which modules it suits, and why the market has moved in recent years from EVA dominance to several routes side by side. Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-functions https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/encapsulant/encapsulant-functions Encapsulant accounts for only about 3%–4% of module cost and all but disappears after lamination, yet it does five jobs at once (adhesion, light transmission, insulation, barrier and cushioning), and once it fails it can hardly be repaired. In this first article of our PV encapsulant series, we start from where encapsulant sits in the module and work through the principle behind each of the five jobs, the key indicators for each, and what goes wrong in the module when a job is not done. Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/china-wind-solar-2tw https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/china-wind-solar-2tw By end-September 2026, China's wind and solar capacity reached 2.01 TW. We unpack three details: solar additions roughly halved, generation growth lagging capacity, and what reliable substitution means for modules and the supply chain. Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/ribbon-industry-outlook https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/ribbon-industry-outlook In this final article of our PV ribbon series we turn from technology to industry. Ribbon consumption grew to about 6.8 times its level in six years, and China''s market reached about RMB 29.8 billion in 2024; yet leading makers posted gross margins of only about 5.5%–5.7% and net margins below 1% in 2025. Drawing on listed companies'' annual reports, we analyse why volumes are up but profits thin, how the competitive landscape is shifting, map technology directions such as finer wire, BC-specific, low-temperature and cost-saving ribbon, and look back over the whole series. Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/ribbon-module-reliability https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/ribbon-module-reliability Much of what module reliability tests such as TC, DH and dynamic mechanical load examine is the ribbon and its solder joints. Using IEC 61215 as a reference, this article sets out what each test stresses in the ribbon, uses estimates to show why TC200 accelerates solder joint fatigue, discusses how ribbon must be matched to thinner cells, cell metallisation and encapsulants, and closes with ways to improve module reliability through ribbon selection and design. Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/ribbon-common-failures https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/ribbon-common-failures Ribbon-related failures span the whole module life: cold joints and micro-cracks in manufacturing, then solder joint fatigue, interconnect ribbon breakage, corrosion and hot spots in the field. This article follows that timeline to set out how each failure appears, its mechanism and its consequences, draws on IEA PVPS failure reports and solder ageing research, estimates how rising series resistance affects power, and closes with a failure analysis approach that works from symptom to root cause. Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/ribbon-soldering-process https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/ribbon-soldering-process Ribbon is ultimately joined to the cell by soldering. Starting from how a single solder joint forms, this article walks through the stringer process, compares infrared, induction and other heating methods, uses thermal mismatch estimates to show the conflict between a strong joint and an undamaged cell, introduces low-temperature soldering for HJT and the main 0BB (zero-busbar) interconnection routes, and ends with a troubleshooting guide for common soldering problems. Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/ribbon-test-methods https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/ribbon-test-methods Whether a spool of ribbon goes onto the stringer should be decided by test data. Using the Chinese national standard GB/T 31985 and the industry association standard T/CPIA 0005 as references, this article sorts ribbon tests into five groups (dimensions and appearance, mechanical properties, electrical properties, coating and soldering, and environmental durability), explains how each is tested, what the standards require and where the pitfalls are, and closes with a tiered approach to incoming inspection at module plants. Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/ribbon-production-process https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/ribbon-production-process Turning a copper rod a few millimetres thick into a spool of round-wire ribbon around 0.2 mm in diameter with an even coating takes several steps: drawing, rolling, annealing, tin coating, and spooling and inspection. This article walks through what each step does and where its key control points lie, and uses estimates to show that the thinner the ribbon, the more the same dimensional deviation affects resistance, and the harder the process becomes. Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/ribbon-materials https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/ribbon-materials Ribbon consists of a copper substrate and a tin alloy coating. The copper determines how much current it can carry and whether it damages the cell; the coating determines whether it solders and how reliable the joint is. Starting from "why copper", we look at the purity and temper of oxygen-free copper, the trade-offs between tin-lead, tin-bismuth and lead-free coating systems, how coating thickness affects conduction, and use estimates to weigh the pros and cons of cost-saving materials such as copper-clad aluminium. Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/ribbon-structure-classification https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/ribbon-structure-classification A ribbon consists of a copper substrate and a tin alloy coating, and by use it divides into interconnect ribbon and busbar ribbon. Over the past decade, interconnect ribbon has evolved from 1.5 mm-wide flat strips to round wires of around 0.2 mm and a variety of shaped ribbons, while different cell technologies have spawned niches such as low-temperature and BC-specific ribbons. We take apart ribbon structure, map the main categories, and use a set of estimates to show that while the number of ribbons has multiplied, shaded area has barely increased. Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/ribbon-three-roles https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/ribbon-three-roles Ribbon is the only material in a module that plays three roles at once, electrical, mechanical and optical: it must carry current out with minimal loss, bond firmly without cracking the cell, and block as little light as possible. Starting from the current path, we use a set of estimates to unpack the balance between these three roles, as the first article in our PV ribbon series. Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/uvid-accelerated-test-variables https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/uvid-accelerated-test-variables A Fraunhofer ISE team has published a study of accelerated UV testing in Solar RRL: short-wave UV worsens near-surface defects, higher temperature suppresses degradation, defect generation is roughly proportional to UV dose but net degradation depends on the thermal budget, and UVID almost disappears under simultaneous UV and visible light. We unpack the four findings and, with Kiwa PVEL's latest data on 370 modules, look at what they mean for UV testing, reading test reports and cell design. Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/gb-47834-tender-threshold https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/gb-47834-tender-threshold China's mandatory module efficiency standard GB 47834-2026 takes effect on 1 January 2027, but buyers have already acted: Huadian's 5 GW framework tender requires module efficiency of at least 23.2%, and a leading maker has withdrawn its older PERC modules from SOE bids. We summarise the news, the standard's three grade lines and the corresponding power ratings, and comment as technical practitioners: 23.2% is only a pass mark, and the real challenge may be the degradation requirement. Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/module-prices-hangzhou-floor https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/module-prices-hangzhou-floor After the National Day holiday, eight module makers cut their quotes by RMB 0.01–0.03/W, and even high-efficiency modules, until now the most stable segment, slipped. The TOPCon 210mm price index fell to RMB 0.7136/W, still about RMB 0.08/W below the RMB 0.79/W floor reported from a meeting in Hangzhou. We unpack this week's data and look at high-power inventory, mandatory delivered pricing and whether this \"floor\" can really hold prices up. Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/taiyangnews-top-modules https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/taiyangnews-top-modules The October edition (58th) of the TaiyangNews commercial module efficiency ranking is unchanged for the fourth month running: BC modules from Aiko and LONGi share first place at 25%, JA Solar's TOPCon module is third at 24.1%, and Risen Energy's HJT module remains the most powerful at 740 W. We look at where the three technologies stand, why power and efficiency need to be read separately, and what lies behind the \"no change\": the listing rules and new products outside the ranking. Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/bnef-584gw-solar-outlook https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/bnef-584gw-solar-outlook BNEF has lowered its outlook for 2026 global solar installations to 584 GW, down 10.8% year on year. China falls from 383 GW to 271 GW (−29%), while markets outside China grow 15% to 313 GW. We unpack how these figures are measured, the real reasons for China's decline, the year-end pressure implied by the BNEF forecast, and what the shift in demand means for module products and reliability. Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/bifacial-gain-gap https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/bifacial-gain-gap Using two years of SCADA data from a 50 MWp single-axis tracker plant, researchers at the Universitat Politècnica de València and Grupotec found that modules rated at 0.70 bifaciality delivered an effective bifaciality of only about 0.60 in the field, 13–15% lower, with the gap widening at higher irradiance. We unpack four easily confused "bifacial factors", why field performance shrinks, the role of mounting geometry, and what it means for yield models and module selection. Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/longi-jingkong-ai-quality-inspection https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/longi-jingkong-ai-quality-inspection LONGi Jingkong has opened its smart manufacturing base in Suzhou, disclosing an \"MES + BI + AI\" platform and six efficiency and quality numbers. We are positive on the move: well-chosen scenarios, clearly quantified targets, and AI inspection experience from LONGi's Wuhu base. We unpack what the numbers mean, the key bases for reading them, and the challenges and highlights of AI inspection on an energy storage line. Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/tandem-bankability-us-china https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/tandem-bankability-us-china Certification is only the entry ticket. Whether tandem modules reach the market depends on whether reliability data are good enough for banks to lend. We check the numbers in the New York Times report, compare US and Chinese tandem progress, and break down the reliability, bankability and cost hurdles. Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/elvy-dicaprio-energy-subscription https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/insights/news/elvy-dicaprio-energy-subscription Leonardo DiCaprio has invested in Swedish energy-subscription company Elvy. The money is small but the signal is not: capital is moving towards "services plus finance" downstream in PV, and long-term asset owners will put module reliability back on the table. Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/frontiers/ai-pv/perovskite-structured-rag https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/frontiers/ai-pv/perovskite-structured-rag A new arXiv preprint uses 755 quantitative questions and 45,441 measured device records to score "perovskite literature AI assistants": zero-shot answers reach only 1.6–6.5%, conventional passage retrieval at most 16–23%, and only when the model queries a structured device table with read-only SQL does accuracy rise to about 51%. We briefly review the work and discuss what it means for PV R&D and technology-transfer engineers using AI for literature search, and for companies building internal experimental databases. Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/0bb-ribbon-thinning-limit https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/materials/ribbon/0bb-ribbon-thinning-limit Publicly verifiable mass production of 0BB ribbon is mainly 0.18–0.20 mm, with 0.16 mm the thinnest size today. Below that, resistance, pull force and alignment windows all tighten. Using a set of simplified calculations, we estimate the application limit of round ribbon in modules. Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/frontiers/ai-pv/self-learning-el-defect-ai https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/frontiers/ai-pv/self-learning-el-defect-ai EL image judgement relies on human eyes, standards are hard to align, and experience leaves with people. Using open-source YOLO on an ordinary computer, we build an EL defect detection program for cells and modules from scratch, with a "detect, human review, relearn, exam-based selection" loop that makes the model more accurate with use. Key code and a pitfall checklist included. Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/reliability/overview/offshore-salt-mist-sealing https://pvmaterialslab.com/en/reliability/overview/offshore-salt-mist-sealing Offshore 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. Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT