Kiwa PVEL’s 2025 Scorecard reports that 83% of tested module manufacturers had at least 1 test failure, the highest rate to date
Only 21 models passed all reliability tests, while 3 did well in the PAN test
MSS and HSS remain the 2 major reasons for failure, as breakage rates for both these tests have gone up
In its 11th annual PV Module Reliability Scorecard, Kiwa PVEL has named 50 manufacturers as Top Performers across one or more test categories. Nevertheless, the 2025 edition also reveals a worrying trend – 83% of tested module makers experienced at least one test failure, the highest rate ever recorded.
Additionally, 59% of the bill of materials (BOM) had at least 1 test failure. In the 2024 Scorecard, the test failures were reported for 66% of module manufacturers covered, and BOM failures for 41% (see Kiwa PVEL Launches 10th PV Module Reliability Scorecard).
Failures during the mechanical stress sequence (MSS) and hail stress sequence (HSS) were the major reasons. According to the report, power loss following MSS, HSS and LID + LETID continues to be minimal, but the module breakage rates for both MSS and HSS have increased.
Yet, other factors like delamination, power loss, and junction box related issues persist as well.
For the 2025 Scorecard, Kiwa PVEL says only 21 model types achieved the top performer status in all reliability tests, namely thermal cycling (TC), damp heat (DH), MSS and HSS, potential-induced degradation (PID), and light-induced degradation (LID) + light and elevated temperature-induced degradation (LETID).
Of these 21, only 3 models were also the top performers in PAN, whose results are based on high precision measurement data that simulates PV module performance in different temperatures, irradiance and light angle conditions.
Its Product Qualification Program (PQP), which provides empirical data for revenue and energy yield modeling, produced mixed results. While the PID and PAN tests improved, the percentage of BOM with <2% degradation decreased for TC and DH.
UVID test results continue to improve, but these remain a source of concern for some BOMs for now.
“The rapid pace of innovation in the PV module landscape is encouraging, and it's great to see more products achieving Top Performer status,” said Kiwa PVEL’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Tristan Erion-Lorico. “However, we continue to caution buyers not to assume all modules are created equal. Our testing continues to uncover significant variability in performance and long-term reliability. The Scorecard remains an essential tool for navigating these differences, helping procurement teams make smart, risk-conscious decisions.”
The complete scorecard is available at Kiwa PVEL’s website.
Last year, in October 2024, while speaking at the TaiyangNews Reliable PV Module Design 2024 Conference, Tristan Erion-Lorico stressed the importance of consistency of materials as an important factor in reliable module performance (see Keeping Modules Reliable Despite Pricing Pressure: TaiyangNews Reliable PV Module Design 2024 Conference Day 1).
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