USA: Global Player

It all started with certification. However, the VDE subsidiaries VDE Americas and RETC have now expanded their portfolio significantly.

By Katja Dombrowski

VDE's expansion to the other side of the Atlantic began with the idea of introducing certification for large solar power plants in the USA – then, as now, a country with a rapidly growing photovoltaic (PV) market. Shortly after its foundation in 2013, VDE Americas, together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, developed a testing and certification system that covers the quality, performance and safety of all components in large PV systems. This was associated with the “VDE Quality Tested for PV Power Plants” label.

A great deal has happened since then. VDE Americas, based in San José in Silicon Valley, California, has grown and significantly expanded its range. “The original label was very technical. For example, it was about how well the system was constructed and whether it had been properly ordered and tested,” explains Managing Director Brian Grenko. “Today, we go far beyond that by writing independent engineering reports.” Clients include project developers and banks that finance major projects, often worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

The consulting services offered by VDE Americas include, for example, a detailed site assessment, the analysis of all studies drawn up for the project and an evaluation of the components to be installed, including warranty and maintenance plans. “The most important thing we do is to estimate how much electricity a plant will produce,” says Grenko. Ultimately, the key question is how lucrative the project will be in the end.

RETC has been part of the VDE family since 2021, with VDE progressing from its initial 70 percent stake to full ownership. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Fremont, California, not far from San José, the service provider operates test centers for PV modules, inverters, storage technology and mounting systems. “One important input that Brian and his team need in order to assess the risk of an investment or project is the technical testing of the product itself,” says RETC CEO Cherif Kedir, “and that’s what we focus on.”

Two employees and a testing device for solar cells

To test how much power solar cells lose on first contact with light, they are irradiated in the laboratory.

| © RETC

PV module manufacturers from all over the world have their new developments tested by RETC. Most manufacturers and customers are based in China, which is why RETC operates its own test center in the country. For customers from Europe, on the other hand, the laboratory at the Fraunhofer ISE is used. “As part of the VDE Group, we have access to all VDE laboratories worldwide,” says Kedir.

Many of the products do not pass the strict test procedure. However, if a PV module scores top marks in all categories, it is included in the annual PV Module Index (PVMI) report. To achieve this, it has to demonstrate its reliability, performance and quality. According to Kedir, the RETC criteria are much stricter than other ranking systems in the USA. This makes the award a seal of quality that counts on the market. The report also examines current industry trends and identifies challenges.

To improve operation, RETC offers forensic investigations of solar installations on site to determine why the modules are not delivering the expected output.

| © RETC

For years, those challenges have included the risk of hail damage in the USA, which has become a huge factor in the insurability of PV systems, Kedir explains. Many large power plants are now being built in what is known as Tornado Alley, which covers the Midwest and Texas. Hailstorms are frequent there due to the geographical and climatic conditions, and hailstones reach sizes unheard of in countries like Germany. The fact that plants are being built there despite these weather conditions is due to favorable land prices – an important factor in building profitable ground-mounted systems, says Kedir. However, the risk is considerable: “Hail only accounts for two percent of insured losses, but 50 percent of the damage incurred.”

VDE Americas CEO Grenko describes an event in 2019 as a “wake-up call” for the industry: a hailstorm destroyed a large PV system in Texas, resulting in insurance companies having to pay around 75 million dollars in damages. “Suddenly it became very difficult to get insurance. And that’s why hail became such a big concern for the solar industry,” explains Grenko. VDE Americas focused on this concern and is now the market leader in predicting hail risk for solar projects. “We spent two years developing algorithms that process weather radar data,” says Grenko. This information can be used to predict the size of hailstones in the event of a severe thunderstorm.

To visualize the hail risk for all locations in the USA, VDE Americas published a Hail Risk Atlas in February. In the Internet application, users can also see what options are available to minimize the risk. These include, for example, PV modules with thicker glass. “But to be honest, it’s cheaper to ensure that the panels can be removed from harm’s way,” says Grenko. Ground-mounted PV systems in the USA are generally installed with tracker systems so that the sun always hits the modules at the optimum angle. If a hailstorm is approaching, the modules can be positioned vertically to protect them from breaking.

“The technology we developed was really important for the market,” Grenko says. In his eyes, it’s a real game changer that has also significantly raised awareness of the VDE brand in the USA.

USA: Global Player

USA: “Solar power is here to stay”