Supply Chain Services and Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI)

VDE Renewables brings added value to its clients in the cleantech space by maximizing the quality and reducing the risk profile of PV components and entire systems. Our goal is to support the implementation of clean energy projects that are bankable, investable, and insurable. We strive towards this goal by offering neutral certification and testing, as well as technical due diligence and independent/owner’s engineering services.

In the components area, we cover core solar photovoltaic components such as modules and inverters. We not only offer standard certification according to international technical standards, but also premium certification that goes beyond the standards, to meet the needs of clients and stakeholders seeking sustainability in their supply chain long term.

In the systems area, VDE Renewables pioneered the development of complete and comprehensive PV power plant certification, which is designed to fulfil the criteria set by key financial stakeholders such as investors, lenders and insurance companies. This is in addition to the broad portfolio of Independent/owner’s engineering services which we can tailor according to your needs.

We can support you across the following services: 

• Factory Audits 
• Production Supervision 
• Laboratory Tests 

A standard audit used applied to many industries. You would be supported by our experienced technology experts, who are authorized inspectors at solar manufacturing sites. In close contact and collaboration with you, we verify quality standards and supervise the production of your goods: 

• Inspection of incoming materials according to Bill of Materials.​
• Reporting including (if required) compulsory remediation. ​
• Review corrective action plan based on from the pre-production audit​
• In-factory validation before module production (to ensure proper remediation)​
• Product inspection during factory production

During manufacturing, our experts can also verify if quality standards are maintained from the start of manufacturing to when the components are shipped to you. These tests could include:​

• Bill of Materials verification​
• Incoming quality controls of raw materials​
• Validation of material storage conditions​
• In‐line manufacturing monitoring​
• Check of internal quality control system​
• Validation of measurement and test equipment maintenance and/or calibration​
• Monitoring of environmental conditions for each area of production​
• Check for other quality risks.​
• Packing and warehousing check including container loading​
• Test sample selection​
• Other tests upon consultation with VDE RE

Tests for module qualification or pre-shipment verification include the following:

• Visual inspection
• Maximum power determination (Pmax@STC)
• Electroluminescent images (EL)
• Light Induced Degradation (LID) Testing
• Light and elevated Temperature-Induced Degradation (LeTID)
• Potential induced degradation (PID) testing
• Thermal cycle test (TCT)
• Damp heat (DH)
• Low light behavior
• Determination of temperature coefficients
• Wet leakage current test
• Peel-off test & Gel-content
• Incidence Angle Modifier
• Other tests upon consultation with VDE RE

VDE’s fast, reliable, and efficient approaches have prevented an annual financial loss of US$ 200,000 which translated to US$ 2,000,000 over 10 years of operation due to low quality

VDE Renewables was contracted to perform technical due diligence for PV Power Plants in Turkey. The total portfolio has a capacity of >200 MWp, set-up using different PV module suppliers. The procured components possessed certification complying with international standards. 

However, negative performance deviation was detected during shipment inspections as part of the VDE service. 

Considering these resulting losses, the investment in additional quality assurance by VDE Renewables has a payback period of less than 6 months.