Greetings Wrenches,
I looked at the article a bit more closely and a crack emerged. The
article mentions two Spanish projects that were tested and the modules
had a 34% "defect rate." I looked at the study (linked in the article)
and what they were talking about was thermographic defects - hot spots,
not absolute failures. They didn't specify how relatively hot these
spots were, either. They noted that the modules by that manufacturer
("E", no names mentioned) had a power loss rate over three years that
was 0.9% greater than others. None of the modules in the study lost more
than 4% in the first three years. No mention of absolute failures.
Allan Sindelair's and Jim Duncan's points about vertically integrated
companies are good. Better chance of survival and better control over
inputs.
Hilton
--
Hilton Dier III
Renewable Energy Design
Partner, Solar Gain LLC
453 East Hill Rd.
Middlesex, VT 05602
Tel: 802-223-6652
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