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Results from an international interlaboratory study on light‐ and elevated temperature‐induced degradation in solar modules

Journal Article · · Progress in Photovoltaics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.3573· OSTI ID:1866505
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  1. National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden Colorado USA
  2. Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH (AIT) Vienna Austria
  3. CSI Solar Technologies (JiaXing) Co., Ltd. Suzhou China
  4. CSI Solar Co., Ltd. Suzhou China
  5. CENER (Spanish Renewable Energy Centre) Navarra Spain
  6. European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) Ispra Italy
  7. Fraunhofer Center for Silicon‐Photovoltaics CSP Halle Germany
  8. Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE Halle Germany
  9. Hanwha Q CELLS GmbH Bitterfeld‐Wolfen Germany
  10. Korea Testing Laboratory (KTL) Gyeonggi‐do Korea
  11. National Institute of Solar Energy Gurugram India
  12. PI Photovoltaik Institut Berlin AG Berlin Germany
  13. PV Evolution Labs (PVEL LLC) Napa California USA
  14. REC Solar Pte. Ltd. Singapore
  15. SERIS (Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore) National University of Singapore Singapore
  16. SUPSI (University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland), SUPSI PVLab Manno Switzerland
  17. TÜV Rheinland Group Cologne Germany
Abstract

This paper reports the results of an international interlaboratory comparison study on light‐ and elevated temperature‐induced degradation (LETID) on crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules. A large global network of PV module manufacturers and PV testing laboratories collaborated to design a protocol for LETID detection and screen a large and diverse set of prototype modules for LETID. Results across labs indicate the reproducibility of LETID testing is likely within ±1% of maximum power (P MP ). In intentionally engineered LETID‐sensitive modules, mean degradation after the prescribed detection stress is roughly 6% P MP . In other module types the LETID sensitivity is smaller, and in some we observe essentially negligible degradation attributable to LETID. In LETID‐sensitive modules, both open‐circuit voltage (V OC ) and short‐circuit current (I SC ) degrade by a roughly similar magnitude. We observe, as do previous studies, that LETID affects each cell in a module differently. An investigation of the potential mismatch losses caused by nonuniform LETID degradation found that mismatch loss is insignificant compared to the estimated loss of cell I SC , which drives loss of module I SC . Overall, this work has helped inform the creation of a forthcoming standard technical specification for LETID testing of PV modules, IEC TS 63342 ED1, and should aid in the interpretation of results from that and other LETID tests.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi); USDOE; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Solar Energy Technologies Office
Grant/Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
1866505
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1866509
OSTI ID: 1867875
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-5K00-81318
Journal Information:
Progress in Photovoltaics, Journal Name: Progress in Photovoltaics Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 30; ISSN 1062-7995
Publisher:
Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English

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