Behind Warranty Claims: An Insurance Perspective on Product & Performance Warranties

premium account

Recording of Monday, June 22, 2026 | The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026 | Language: English | Duration: 10:20 .

Munich RE's Role and Challenges in the Solar Insurance Market

Munich RE, the world's largest reinsurer, specializes in performance insurance for green technologies, particularly photovoltaic (PV) systems. The Greentech Solutions team mitigates risks linked to the performance of these technologies, which have seen considerable evolution, especially since 2009 when they began offering performance warranties. The rapid transition from crystalline silicon to dominant thin-film PV technology since 2010 has led to increased market demand for long warranties, sometimes extending up to 30 years, despite limited performance data. Numerous warranty losses have affected companies like Stion and NanoSolar, with the insurance industry adjusting to rising claims related to module failures, such as glass breakage and backsheet cracking, caused by inadequate manufacturing standards. The market is undergoing consolidation, particularly in China, posing threats of further company insolvencies. To maintain reliability, Munich Re performs audits on manufacturers and mandates corrective measures while encouraging buyers to confirm warranty insurance. This proactive approach reflects the insurance sector's evolving landscape and its essential role in supporting sustainable technology adoption.

Automated summarization by AI Conver

Speaker

Julia Moser
Product Lead Photovoltaics
Munich RE
Germany

As technology advances rapidly and price pressure increases, ensuring performance throughout the asset's lifecycle is paramount, especially as storage gains importance in new solar plants. From factory audits to field inspections - tailored quality strategies are essential for reducing risk and making operation profitable. This session examines inspection frameworks, technology testing and advanced fault detection in order to enhance reliability and strengthen the bankability and profitability of PV-plus storage projects.

Key topics:

  • Quality assurance and certification for modules, balance of systems and batteries
  • Failure modes and degradation risks
  • Impacts on yield and lifecycle costs
  • Best practices to secure long-term reliability and bankability

Further Talks of this session:

Speaker

George Touloupas
Head of Procurement Quality and Localization
Scatec

To Talk

Speaker

Jörg Althaus
Director QA and Engineering Services
Intertek CEA
Germany

To Talk

Speaker

Sishir Garemella
Head of International Business Development
Kiwa PVEL
USA

To Talk

Speaker

Magnus Herz
Senior Expert PV
TÜV Rheinland Energy GmbH
Germany

To Talk

Speaker

Nikoletta Fodor
Project Officer
SolarPower Europe
Belgium

To Talk

To Talk

Further Content
Intersolar Middle East Conference 2026
Towards Net Zero: Decarbonizing C&I Sector in MENA with Solar Leasing

Tuesday, September 01, 2026, 04:45 pm

Intersolar Middle East Conference 2026 | Conference Program

premium account

Gain firsthand insights from landmark solar developments transforming the Middle East and North Africa. This session showcases large-scale project successes, innovative technologies, and lessons learned, highlighting how strategic partnerships and bold investments are advancing regional energy goals and setting new benchmarks for global renewable deployment.

Rutger Schlatmann and Angelika Harter
Perovskites: The Race for the Future of PV?

The smarter E Podcast Episode 258 | Language: English

June 25, 2026

HZB researchers explore perovskite tandem solar cells, efficiency gains, and the challenges of bringing the technology to market.

Howard Wenger and Aaron Thurlow
How U.S. Innovators Are Reshaping Solar

The smarter E Podcast Episode 261 | Language: English

July 23, 2026

Live from Munich: Industry leaders discuss Nextpower’s integration of utility-scale storage and Caelux’s breakthrough perovskite-on-glass solar tech.

Jarand Rystad
Is the Energy Transition Really Slowing Down? The Data Suggests Otherwise

The smarter E Podcast Episode 263 | Language: English

August 20, 2026

Jarand Rystad breaks down why solar & batteries outpace forecasts, how storage counters falling capture prices, and the future of renewables.

Edurne Zoco and Barbara Rubim
Effective Responses to Power Markets in Flux

The smarter E Podcast Episode 262 | Language: English

August 6, 2026

Recorded live at The smarter E Europe 2026: Industry experts discuss global solar trends, battery storage, and new market dynamics worldwide.

You are using an outdated browser

The website cannot be viewed in this browser. Please open the website in an up-to-date browser such as Edge, Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.