Module Degradation Mechanisms Studied by a Multi-Scale Approach

Conference · Sun Nov 20 23:00:00 EST 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2016.7749737· OSTI ID:1343675

Johnston, Steve; Al-Jassim, Mowafak; Hacke, Peter; Harvey, Steven P.; Jiang, Chun-Sheng; Gerber, Andreas; Guthrey, Harvey; Moutinho, Helio; Albin, David; To, Bobby; Tynan, Jerry; Moseley, John; Aguiar, Jeffery; Xiao, Chuanxiao; Waddle, John; Nardone, Marco

A key pathway to meeting the Department of Energy SunShot 2020 goals is to reduce financing costs by improving investor confidence through improved photovoltaic (PV) module reliability. A comprehensive approach to further understand and improve PV reliability includes characterization techniques and modeling from module to atomic scale. Imaging techniques, which include photoluminescence, electroluminescence, and lock-in thermography, are used to locate localized defects responsible for module degradation. Small area samples containing such defects are prepared using coring techniques and are then suitable and available for microscopic study and specific defect modeling and analysis.

• Research Organization: NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States))
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Solar Energy Technologies Office (EE-4S)
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 1343675
• Report Number(s): NREL/CP-5K00-65809
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
electroluminescence
imaging
photovoltaic cells
photovoltaic systems
reliability
silicon
solar energy
solar power generation