Chinese Solar Module Firms Top KIWA PVEL’s Top Performer List

Chinese Solar Module Firms Top KIWA PVEL's Top Performer List

Independent solar testing lab Kiwa PVEL on Wednesday released its 11th annual PV Module Reliability Scorecard, identifying 50 solar module manufacturers as “Top Performers” in one or more reliability and performance tests. The list named several solar module makers. However, solar module makers from China and Indonesia topped the list. JinkoSolar topped the list by the virtue of their product quality and passing their quality tests.

Chinese Solar Module Firms Top KIWA PVEL’s Top Performer List

The digital report is based on data from Kiwa PVEL’s Product Qualification Program (PQP), a suite of extended tests designed to evaluate module durability under various environmental and mechanical stress conditions, including thermal cycling, humidity, potential-induced degradation (PID), light- and elevated-temperature-induced degradation (LID+LETID), and ultraviolet (UV) exposure.

9 Manufacturers Top Performers 

Nine manufacturers were named Top Performers across all seven PQP test categories. Only 21 module types achieved Top Performer status in all core reliability tests, with just three of those also ranking as Top Performers in PAN performance tests, which assess energy yield.

The 2025 edition showed mixed results across test categories. While PID and PAN performance improved, mechanical stress sequence (MSS) and hail stress sequence (HSS) breakage rates increased. UV degradation test results showed early signs of progress but remain a concern.

83% of Firms Reported at least one Failure 

Kiwa PVEL reported that 83% of participating manufacturers had at least one test failure, up from 66% in the previous year—a record at the time.

“The pace of innovation is encouraging, but not all modules are equal in long-term reliability,” said Tristan Erion-Lorico, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Kiwa PVEL. “We continue to observe wide performance variability, reinforcing the importance of rigorous testing.”

To be included in the 2025 Scorecard, manufacturers were required to complete PQP sample production after October 1, 2023, and submit at least two factory-witnessed modules for each test.

“The 2025 results highlight both progress and persistent challenges in module quality,” said Kevin Gibson, Managing Director of Kiwa PVEL. “Our testing continues to provide vital insight for procurement and project risk mitigation.”