Welcome to our preview of the last Plenary session EP.1 of the EU PVSEC 2026 on Friday, 18th September, titled Reliable PV Everywhere.  At the end of the conference, you will be given some take-aways regarding the great achievements of PV technology, making it the reliable, affordable energy source of the future with countless applications everywhere on the globe.

The first presentation “What do PV Module Warranties Reveal about Reliability? Insights from Financial Disclosures and Independent Testing” given by Bert Herteleer of SUPSI in Switzerland digs deeply in the correlation of between independent reliability testing and Warranties. The presentation provides three perspectives on what warranty provisions do – and do not do. First, annual reports of the manufacturers are analysed seeking information on failure rates and warranty returns. Second, the presentation will give evidence that datasheet tolerances on maximum power seem to favour the sales of modules with power ratings at the lower end of datasheet tolerances, effectively reducing warranty claims. Third, we will learn that real field experience and monitoring practice reveals the underperformance compared to datasheet values which can ultimately become a warranty claim! With the increased number of aging plants, it is quite interesting how testing and certification now can be compared to financial losses - or gains. We look forward to hearing the full analysis and discussing its findings with the PV community during the conference.

We look forward to honouring Dr. Muñoz during the official award ceremony at the Opening Session of EU PVSEC 2026, on Monday morning, 13 September, in Rotterdam.