861: 1 in 5 Solar Panels Are Failing — Here’s Why
Episode description
1 in 5 solar panels are failing—and it’s not because of hail.
A quiet reliability crisis is cracking open across the industry, and it starts with glass.
In this eye-opening conversation, Nico Johnson sits down with Tristan Erion-Lorico (Kiwa PVEL) and Dr. Teresa Barnes (NREL) to uncover why glass breakage has become the #1 cause of solar module failure. Backed by PVEL’s latest reliability data, they expose how design shortcuts, material stress, and quality-control lapses are pushing failure rates to an alarming 20%.
You’ll learn:
🔹 Why “tempered” glass isn’t always truly tempered
🔹 How glass is allergic to metal, actually
🔹 Why thinner, lighter glass can mean bigger, costlier failures
🔹 What manufacturers, EPCs, and buyers must do now to prevent losses
If you build, buy, or bank on solar panels, this episode could save your next project from shattering—literally.
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