Not from hail or mishandling, but from cracks that spider from frame edges, splinter near clamps, and web across modules. In cases seen by Jörg Althaus, director of engineering and quality assurance at Clean Energy Associates (CEA), it starts with a few panels – then dozens . Modern PV modules often use thinner glass to reduce weight and material costs which lead to glass breakage. Glass breakage is a growing concern for the solar power plant operators. In a feature article for PV Tech Power (Q3 2025), David Devir, principal engineer for VDE Americas, looks at the origins of today's supersized PV module glass problem and considers. Dual-glass PV modules are experiencing low-energy glass fracture under expected conditions of use at an alarming rate. CEA conducted comprehensive on-site inspections and structural assessments, which pointed to possible issues related to module durability and mounting system compatibility.
