Hint: It’s not just inclusion on Bloomberg’s Tier-1 list
You’ve identified the best solar module to fit your technical specs, minimized tariff risk, and secured competitive pricing, only to discover that the module won’t meet your financiers’ quality assurance and bankability requirements. While many companies tend to use major suppliers that are currently on the Tier-1 list or that have previously been financed, these processes are often not robust enough in the current market. As new product lines continue to come online in response to evolving policy and trade dynamics, it is vital to maintain high standards of quality assurance to avoid financial and quality issues that could have been prevented. What steps should you add to your product assessment process and to the supplier contract to ensure solar module quality and bankability, and how can Anza help you quickly access the information you need?
What elements are required to ensure high-quality solar modules and bankability?
Typically, organizations utilize bankability reports to quickly get a sense of solar module options with lower quality and financial risks. However, many of these reports are quickly outdated or missing newer available module options and suppliers. To best serve a rapidly changing supplier landscape, our experts have identified the top-priority items to ensure module quality and financing.
At its core, two primary elements are required to ensure solar module quality and bankability:
- QA/QC Exhibit: Negotiated as part of the supplier contract, this outlines exactly what the supplier is accountable for and will do (e.g., a Quality & Inspections Requirement Exhibit).
- Factory Audit: This process involves supplier and factory evaluations of bankability, processes, and procedural flows, and reviews how these measure up to industry regulations. Factory audits can be done anytime. However, factory audits done with a specific procurement are potentially more effective, since corrective actions are more likely to be taken for any errors not in line with the QA/QC Exhibit.
For those seeking further protection and the gold standard of quality and bankability, additional elements can also be added to the assurance process. These include:
- Selecting a module is listed on Kiwa PVEL’s PQP Top Performer List. This list showcases module manufacturers that are top performers in one or more of Kiwa PVEL’s seven reliability laboratory tests. It is also necessary to have a quality inspector confirm that the BOM in production matches the one tested by a third party.
- Obtaining project-level insurance to protect against technical underperformance, defects, or manufacturer insolvency.
How can Anza help me gain confidence in my module quality and bankability?
Within the Anza platform, you can immediately see if a supplier or module has completed 3rd Party Performance Testing, Factory Audits, and 3rd Party QA/QC Exhibit and filter options based on your criteria. Anza is agnostic to third-party performance testing and factory audit providers, presenting solar module buyers with all available data for every supplier and providing recommendations in an unbiased manner.
First, our robust data library indicates whether a factory audit for module assembly has been conducted and by whom. Factory audits previously completed for a module can be quickly purchased, saving time and money rather than coordinating a new audit from scratch. Anza will purchase any missing factory audits for our Full Scope Procurement solar services customers to ensure you have this robust data for shortlisted modules. We can also share the latest information on production and factory audits that aren’t yet visible on the platform, including when to expect completion, giving you greater insights into what’s around the corner as you plan projects.
Buyers can also easily determine whether a supplier has a 3rd Party QA/QC Exhibit and which independent engineer’s template is used for the exhibit directly from the Anza platform data. Our Market Insights service provides additional insights into how these QA/QC exhibits compare, so you can find an option that is at or above the market standard.
Anza’s data also enables you to see if 3rd Party Performance Testing has been completed (by Kiwa PVEL, VDE, or RETC) and view Kiwa PVEL’s Top Performers across all seven reliability tests: 1) Thermal Cycling, 2) Damp Heat, 3) Mechanical Stress Sequence, 4) Hail Stress Sequence, 5) Potential Induced Degradation (PID), 6) Light-Induced Degradation and Light- and Elevated Temperature-Induced Degradation (LID + LETID), and 7) PAN Performance. See at a glance 75+ modules in the Anza platform with at least one Top Performer designation and what laboratory test(s) they rank for.
Finally, buyers interested in additional protection can quickly view suppliers eligible for project-level insurance. Anza can also directly connect you with Munich RE or our broker to help you obtain this for your project.
By considering and confirming these main requirements when evaluating solar module options, you can gain confidence that a supplier is building a quality, reliable module that your financier will consider bankable. Schedule a meeting today to see how Anza can help you reduce risk, increase value, and save time in your upcoming solar projects.
