- A specialized facility that ensures quality assurance on demand for project financiers, solar power plant developers, system integrators, module manufacturers, and solar polymer component manufacturers alike.
- The Lab tests the critical performance parameters for PV Module Encapsulants and Backsheets like Gel Content, UV Cut Off, Thermal Shrinkage, adhesion strength.
- RenewSys is the 1st Integrated Manufacturer of Solar PV Modules and its key Components – Encapsulants (EVA & POE), Backsheets and Solar PV Cells.
The cost of PV modules are typically between one-third to half of the capital cost of a PV system, depending on the size of the project and the type of PV module*. Thus, the impetus on keeping tariffs low for solar plants and PV installations constrain all system component manufacturers, especially solar module manufacturers, to deliver PV modules at very competitive prices.
The 25 year plus lifetime that attracts investors is dependent on the quality that sustains the power output through thousands of temperature cycles from extreme heat and cold to extreme weather like sandstorms and snow. PV plant financers and developers are dependent on data that predicts module degradation over time through these conditions.
It is imperative, for financers, developers, installers and even largescale end customers like industries to ascertain that their modules deliver on performance and output expectations, and lifetime.
The true test – in Field performance
A study of field failures of solar power plants reveals that though Encapsulants and Backsheets constitute only 4% of the bill of the material cost of a module, however, if their quality is compromised they can be the cause of massive field failures.
Unlike defects like micro-cracks and breakage in cells, substandard or compromised module polymer components, i.e. Encapsulants (EVA & POE) and Backsheets are not visible to the naked eye.
Thus periodic testing of the components used in modules becomes a significant indicator of overall PV module health and quality.
Illustrating why such a facility is the need of the hour Avinash Hiranandani, Managing Director, RenewSys India, said, “The Indian solar industry is growing by leaps and bounds each year. Quality of the components used, and their impact on plant performance starts gaining importance when the PV plants get older, and we see modules reaching mid-life in the field.
Preempting the need for a better understanding of Encapsulants and Backsheets, the critical components for module life, RenewSys has been working on innovation and reliability testing of these components at its Bengaluru Polymer Specialty Division – the driving force behind setting up India’s 1st and only dedicated Encapsulant and Backsheet testing facility that is NABL accredited. It has already begun providing on-demand access to Project Developers and Module Manufacturers to quality assurance.”
While there are several test centres to test modules as a whole, there is only 1 lab in India that tests the Encapsulants, Backsheets and their raw materials. An independently run facility, this lab is one of its kind that ensures quality assurance on demand for project financiers, solar plant developers, module manufacturers, and solar module polymer component manufacturers alike.
Run by a team of experts from the solar industry, it can test all polymers including Encapsulants, Backsheets and their raw materials.
The lab conducts tests like Gel Content, Density, Tensile Strength and Elongation, UV cut off, Opacity and alike.
RenewSys has also set up a world-class reliability testing laboratory for PV modules that is India’s only Intertek certified Satellite® testing facility at Hyderabad. This lab has seven environmental chambers that test modules at accelerated and adverse environmental conditions like damp heat, dry heat, temperature cycling, UV exposure.
*As per IRENA’s global PV system cost analysis
About Us:
RenewSys is the 1st integrated manufacturer of Solar PV Modules (750 MW) and its key components – Encapsulants (1.4 GW), Backsheets (3 GW) Solar PV Cells (130 MW).
It is the ‘Renewable Energy’ arm of the Enpee Group of companies, an international conglomerate with nearly 60 years of manufacturing experience in diversified businesses. Read more at www.enpee.com
Since 2015, RenewSys has consistently proven itself as a global, quality manufacturer, and has delivered over 8 GW of Encapsulants and Backsheets winning the trust and support of partners worldwide.
One of our highest grossing export products is the POE Encapsulant, which combines the benefits of existing POE and TPO Encapsulants for unmatched performance in both Glass to Glass and Glass to Backsheet PV modules. This product is India’s only UL certified POE which was recognised as a Finalist at the InterSolar Europe Awards 2018.
RenewSys has offices in India, Mauritius, Nigeria, South Africa, Singapore, UAE, UK, China, and representative offices in USA, Mexico, Brazil and countries across Europe; our distributor network is evolving as well.
RenewSys is also home to India’s only Intertek Certified Satellite Testing Laboratory at Hyderabad where solar modules can be tested under various conditions like damp heat, temperature cycles, UV exposure variances etc.
Source: renewsysindia
