Reliability of terrestrial photovoltaic modules at various DOE/MIT Lincoln Laboratory Test Sites

Conference · Mon Mar 30 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6580028

Forman, S. E.; Themelis, M. P.

During the past four years, acting under the auspices of the US Department of Energy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory has built and operated in the United States photovoltaic power-generating systems ranging in size from less than 1 kWp to 100 kWp. Slightly more than 11,000 modules from several manufactures have been utilized at these sites with a cumulative number of electrical failures of approximately 2%. Discussion is presented of module performance at two of these sites; a 25-kWp array field at Mead, Nebraska, and a 100-kWp array field at Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah. Data and photographs of module failures, failure modes, physical and electrical degradation, and array diagnostics are presented for each of the five different types of modules utilized at these sites.

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Lexington (USA). Lincoln Lab.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76ET20279
• OSTI ID: 6580028
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/20279-126; CONF-810526-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140600* -- Solar Energy-- Photovoltaic Power Systems
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FAILURES
FIELD TESTS
FRACTURES
MIDWEST REGION
NEBRASKA
NORTH AMERICA
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SUPPLIES
POWER RANGE 10-100 KW
POWER SUPPLIES
RELIABILITY
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
TESTING
USA
UTAH