The share of PV modules failing pre-shipment inspections in 2025 rose to a record 3.36%, according to Kiwa PI Berlin
New defect patterns are emerging in layup, lamination, and junction box assembly, directly affecting performance, reliability, and safety
Batch testing shows more failures, such as PID, pointing to weaknesses in BOMs and process controls
US factories recorded the highest critical and major findings, while newer hubs in the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia also showed elevated defects
Vietnam and Indonesia performed better, with no critical or fewer major findings
Kiwa PI Berlin, the solar PV testing, inspection, and certification group, reports that its in-factory quality assurance and benchmarking data highlighted a 'clear and concerning' trend of nonconformance findings and quality deficiencies.
The share of PV modules failing pre-shipment inspections (PSI) rose to a record 3.36% in 2025. Kiwa analysts link this increase mainly to policy uncertainty in the US, where stricter Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) rules and higher supply-chain transparency requirements were introduced.
These policies are also nudging the global solar PV manufacturing industry to diversify geographically to Africa and the Middle East. “The net impact of this is that new factories produce at a higher defect rate than mature facilities, requiring increased quality diligence,” states Kiwa PI Berlin in The 2026 PV Module Manufacturing Quality Report.
What’s more, it expects a rise in module defects in 2026 as the solar PV industry deals with growing pressure to scale quickly while maintaining low costs and regulatory compliance.
Its findings are based on 85 benchmarked audits conducted by the team across global PV manufacturing sites last year. Only 5% of these factories achieved an excellent rating, while most fell between above average (36%) and average (38%) range. Notably, 21% were rated as below average or poor. This highlights a “persistent risk to long-term reliability that certifications alone may not provide sufficient assurance of fully mitigate.”
Based on its audits, the team identifies new defect patterns emerging in high-impact processes, including layup precision, lamination integrity, and junction box assembly. All of these directly affect module performance, long-term reliability, and safety.
Analysts share that batch testing also shows a higher incidence of failures, such as potential-induced degradation (PID). According to the report, these failures point to weaknesses in manufacturers’ internal bills of materials (BOMs) and process controls, resulting in degradation levels exceeding allowable limits.
Kiwa categorizes non-conformances as critical, major, or minor issues, based on the defect risks the team observed during production and end-of-line inspections.
US factories show the highest critical and major findings, indicating inadequate quality management. Newer regions of the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia exhibit a high number of defects with their new manufacturing bases. But Vietnam and Indonesia demonstrate stronger performance with no critical or fewer major findings.
In 2025, manufacturers shifted capacity from Southeast Asia to Africa to avoid tariffs, but ramp-ups have been slow due to weak infrastructure, skills shortages, and supply chain issues. Analysts expect these challenges to continue into 2026, placing continued pressure on product quality.
India, another upcoming manufacturing hub, presents a mixed profile with moderate findings. Kiwa attributes this to the ongoing challenges in process consistency and execution.
A field of improvement noticed by the team last year is the improved performance of TOPCon cell technology. It observed a decrease in cell-related defects in TOPCon production, reaching a level comparable to that of PERC modules.
“These enhancements are attributed to optimized cell-level design, material modifications, and the accumulation of production expertise and knowledge in manufacturing TOPCon cells,” reads the report.
The complete report can be downloaded for free on Kiwa PI Berlin’s website.
Speaking of solar PV manufacturing in India, TaiyangNews is bringing together the Indian solar PV manufacturing industry at the Solar Technology Conference India 2026 (STC.I 2026) on February 5 and 6 in Aerocity, New Delhi. This 2nd edition of the TaiyangNews physical conference will also have banks, investors, and policymakers in attendance. Register for the event here.