Mobile PV lab performs all testing required on solar PV module at the site providing immediate reports
India’s mobile solar photovoltaic (PV) testing lab which is designed and developed by Mahindra Susten has completed a milestone 1 GWp of plant testing. Mahindra Susten is a renewable energy company which is a part of $20.7 billion Mahindra Group.
The lab has been accredited with ISO/IEC 17025:2005 certification from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories. It has mutual recognition arrangements with several organisations including the Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC), Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC).
The PV Lab offers technology which is said to be unique in Asia. It is a mobile solution which allows performance analysis of solar PV modules. The testing procedure used in the lab intended to ensure reliability and repeatability in line with standard procedures, leading to similar or better results than any stationary laboratory.
Mobile PV lab can perform following tests
Flash Tests: This test is used to measures the I-V characteristics of PV Module in Standard Test Conditions (STC) to bring out the degradation results.
EL Test: This test gives results similar to X-Ray reports, without the use of any radiation. It is used to highlight cell-level faults and microcracks within the module. The working principle is that of photo-emission measured by an infrared light-sensitive camera.
Infrared Imaging: This is a common tool which measures the abnormal thermal behaviour of modules during DC parameter measurements. It is used to find hotspots in modules. The same thermal imager can also be used to identify any loose connections and abnormal behaviour in other equipment like combiner boxes, inverters, transformers and panels which constitute the solar PV plant.
The reports generated from the NABL accredited PV labs are at par with the ILAC and APLAC certifications and are accepted in 73 countries. Results from the tests conducted in the Mahindra Susten lab are useful to all stakeholders, developers, lenders, manufacturers, EPC companies or even O&M companies.
The results are an important decision-making tool in case of warranty claims against PV module manufacturers or even just to ensure the proper functioning of the PV equipment.
