The photovoltaic advanced systems test facility
Sandia National Laboratories, as part of the United States Department of Energy's (DOE) National Photovoltaics (PV) Program, operates an extensive PV testing laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The objectives of this laboratory, the Photovoltaic Advanced Systems Test Facility (PASTF), are to assess the performance of PV and balance-of-systems (BOS) hardware and to work with their developers to rectify any performance deficiencies found. The principal resources of the PASTF consist of a materials testing laboratory, a lens and lens/cell testing facility, a module testing facility, an array testing facility, a power conditioner evaluation facility, and specialized test stations for evaluation of BOS hardware. A cell characterization laboratory that is part of the larger Sandia PV effort provides evaluational support in this area. These resources are augmented by Sandia's extensive research and support facilities, principally in the areas of material characterization and environmental testing. The paper describes the resources of the PASTF along with examples of their application to the evaluation of PV hardware.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 7014968
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-87-1769C; CONF-880513-2; ON: DE88009589
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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