This is fourth consecutive survey of PV module reliability (the previous surveys were conducted in 2013, 2014, 2016) in different climatic zones, across India. This time we have divided the whole survey in to two phases. In the first phase we have covered most of the climatic zones except cold and sunny, which was planned for second phase of the survey. This first phase of the survey was started at IIT Bombay with a flag off done by Prof. B. G. Fernandes (Head of the Department, EE, IIT Bombay), Prof. Juzer M. Vasi (Emeritus Professor), Prof. Anil Kottantharayil, Prof. Narendra S. Shiradkar, and Dr. Snajay Kumar (Deputy Director General, NISE) on 07-03-2018, and after 84 days of survey period it got ended at IIT Bombay on 29-05-2018. In these 84 days, we had travelled to 24 different locations throughout India, and conducted survey at 35 sites.

In this phase we have surveyed seven different technology modules (mono c-Si, multi c-Si, a-Si, CdTe, CIGS, HIT, and IBC), and we have conducted different tests on these modules like I-V (on 1192 modules), Infrared Imaging (on 1100 modules), Electroluminescence (on 715 modules), Visual Imaging (on 1125 modules), and some other tests like Insulation Resistance. This survey mainly focuses on large scale PV installations, i.e. PV power plants, and majority of the surveyed modules belong Ground Rack type of installations, but we also surveyed some of small scale installations, which are of Roof Rack type of installations, and very few are Floating type of installations.