Field testing and evaluation of PV module performance

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:6457460

Forman, S E

Between March of 1977 and June of 1978, MIT Lincoln Laboratory in conjunction with the Department of Energy, placed 41.5 kilowatts of photovoltaic modules at various experimental test sites in the United States. The largest of these include a 25 kilowatt array in Mead, Nebraska, which is used for corn irrigation and crop drying and a 15 kilowatt rooftop test bed in Lexington, Massachusetts, which is used to evaluate components of photovoltaic systems prior to field installation. The performance of the photovoltaic modules is summarized, and the physical and electrical changes which have occurred due to weathering and soil accumulation during that time period are described. To date only nine modules amounting to 130 watts have experienced electrical failures.

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Lexington (USA). Lincoln Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-02-4094
• OSTI ID: 6457460
• Report Number(s): COO-4094-18; CONF-780619-23
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
CLEANING
COLOR
CONDUCTOR DEVICES
CONNECTORS
DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
EQUIPMENT
EVALUATION
FAILURES
INSPECTION
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
ORGANOLEPTIC PROPERTIES
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER PLANTS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POWER PLANTS
POWER RANGE 10-100 KW
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
WASHING
WEATHERING