Regional Test Center: NREL - Research Tasks 1&2

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DOE shall field similar PV systems at three U.S. PV regional test facilities in order to validate module and system performance and initial reliability. This approach takes advantage of this country's best talent in the field of PV science and engineering and utilizes DOE's over 30 year investment in PV testing, analysis, and reliability research at its national laboratories.Bankable results for performance and reliability will require corroborating results from a number of different installations and sites. Locating validation centers at DOE's PV "centers of excellence" provides confidence and credibility in the results and predictions. Having the experts collocated with the PV systems ensures the fewest problems with data collection, proper maintenance of the system and its components, immediate identification of problems, and oversight of system testing.