Sequential Stress Identifies Processing Defects in Bifacial Photovoltaic Modules That Limit Durability

Kern, Dana B.; Uličná, Soňa; Jordan, Dirk C.; Terwilliger, Kent; Ndione, Paul; Roberts, Dennice; Mangum, John S.; Johnston, Steve; Kempe, Michael; Owen-Bellini, Michael; Schelhas, Laura T.

doi:10.1109/JPHOTOV.2025.3556436

Sequential Stress Identifies Processing Defects in Bifacial Photovoltaic Modules That Limit Durability

Journal Article · Mon Apr 21 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2025.3556436· OSTI ID:2566772

^[1]; Uličná, Soňa ^[1]; ^[1]; Terwilliger, Kent ^[1]; ^[1]; ^[1]; ^[1]; ^[1]; ^[1]; ^[1]; ^[1]

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Here, we use sequential stress to investigate hurdles to bifacial photovoltaic (PV) module durability from lamination defects. We test mini-modules with glass/glass (G/G) and glass/transparent-backsheet (G/TB) constructions using either ethylene vinyl acetate or polyolefin elastomer (POE) based encapsulants under a modified IEC 63209-2 sequential stress. This sequence includes multiple iterations of damp heat (DH200), full spectrum light exposure (A3), thermal cycling (TC50), and humidity/freeze (HF10). We compare indoor stress with outdoor exposure. Results show similar relative trends in degradation after a year outdoors compared to our first stress cycle. Subsequent stress cycles impart more severe damage than outdoor exposure for the short outdoor duration used here. Edge-pinch lamination defects in G/G mini-modules limit durability causing delamination and cell cracks. Conversely, we observe greater degradation in G/TB mini-modules compared to G/G in the later stages of the stress sequence when the backsheets are directly exposed to UV-containing light. Our results highlight: 1) the utility of sequential stress testing to uncover degradation modes in bifacial PV, 2) implications of using mini-modules for testing PV quality, and 3) the importance of lamination defects that must be avoided to ensure durability as the industry adopts G/G or G/TB packaging.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 2566772

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA--5K00-92842

Journal Information:: IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, Journal Name: IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 15; ISSN 2156-3381; ISSN 2156-3403

Publisher:: IEEECopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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