Analysis of the Long-Term Performance Degradation of Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Modules in Tropical Climates

Luo, Wei; Khoo, Yong Sheng; Hacke, Peter L; Jordan, Dirk; Zhao, Lu; Ramakrishna, Seeram; Aberle, Armin G.; Reindl, Thomas

doi:10.1109/JPHOTOV.2018.2877007

Title: Analysis of the Long-Term Performance Degradation of Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Modules in Tropical Climates

Abstract

For this study, the long-term performance degradation of five different types of commercial crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaic (PV) modules (one sample for each type) in the tropics, or more specifically the tropical rainforest climate 'Af' by the Koppen climate classification (Singapore), is investigated over a period of seven years, based on outdoor I-V measurements at 10-s intervals. The degradation rates of these c-Si PV modules, based on the temperature-corrected performance ratio, range from -0.03 to -0.47%/year, which satisfy the products' performance warranty. Further analysis of the short-circuit current (I _{sc), open-circuit voltage, and fill factor for these modules shows that the performance degradation is mainly} attributed to the l _sc loss. Lastly, the possible causes of the module performance deterioration are also discussed.

Authors:

^[1];

^[2];

^[2]; Zhao, Lu ^[1]; Ramakrishna, Seeram ^[1];

^[1]; Reindl, Thomas ^[3]

Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (Singapore)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore

Publication Date:: Fri Nov 02 00:00:00 EDT 2018

Research Org.:: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

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

OSTI Identifier:: 1485566

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5K00-72448
Journal ID: ISSN 2156-3381

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 9; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 2156-3381

Publisher:: IEEE

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 14 SOLAR ENERGY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; crystalline silicon modules; degradation modes; degradation rates; long-term module performance; tropics; photovoltaics

Citation Formats


                    Luo, Wei, Khoo, Yong Sheng, Hacke, Peter L, Jordan, Dirk, Zhao, Lu, Ramakrishna, Seeram, Aberle, Armin G., and Reindl, Thomas. Analysis of the Long-Term Performance Degradation of Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Modules in Tropical Climates.  United States: N. p., 2018. 
Web.  doi:10.1109/JPHOTOV.2018.2877007.

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                    Luo, Wei, Khoo, Yong Sheng, Hacke, Peter L, Jordan, Dirk, Zhao, Lu, Ramakrishna, Seeram, Aberle, Armin G., & Reindl, Thomas. Analysis of the Long-Term Performance Degradation of Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Modules in Tropical Climates.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2018.2877007

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                    Luo, Wei, Khoo, Yong Sheng, Hacke, Peter L, Jordan, Dirk, Zhao, Lu, Ramakrishna, Seeram, Aberle, Armin G., and Reindl, Thomas. Fri .  
"Analysis of the Long-Term Performance Degradation of Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Modules in Tropical Climates".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2018.2877007.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1485566.

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@article{osti_1485566,

  title        = {Analysis of the Long-Term Performance Degradation of Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Modules in Tropical Climates},

  author       = {Luo, Wei and Khoo, Yong Sheng and Hacke, Peter L and Jordan, Dirk and Zhao, Lu and Ramakrishna, Seeram and Aberle, Armin G. and Reindl, Thomas},

  abstractNote = {For this study, the long-term performance degradation of five different types of commercial crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaic (PV) modules (one sample for each type) in the tropics, or more specifically the tropical rainforest climate 'Af' by the Koppen climate classification (Singapore), is investigated over a period of seven years, based on outdoor I-V measurements at 10-s intervals. The degradation rates of these c-Si PV modules, based on the temperature-corrected performance ratio, range from -0.03 to -0.47%/year, which satisfy the products' performance warranty. Further analysis of the short-circuit current (I sc), open-circuit voltage, and fill factor for these modules shows that the performance degradation is mainly attributed to the l sc loss. Lastly, the possible causes of the module performance deterioration are also discussed.},

  doi          = {10.1109/JPHOTOV.2018.2877007},

  journal      = {IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics},

  number       = 1,

  volume       = 9,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Fri Nov 02 00:00:00 EDT 2018},

  month        = {Fri Nov 02 00:00:00 EDT 2018}

}

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Works referencing / citing this record:

Reliable long-term performance assessment of commercial photovoltaic modules tested under field conditions over 5 years
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Kraus, Peter; Massué, Cyriac; Heumann, Saskia
Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, Vol. 11, Issue 6
DOI: 10.1063/1.5128171

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Title: Analysis of the Long-Term Performance Degradation of Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Modules in Tropical Climates

Abstract

Citation Formats

Reliable long-term performance assessment of commercial photovoltaic modules tested under field conditions over 5 years journal, November 2019

Reliable long-term performance assessment of commercial photovoltaic modules tested under field conditions over 5 years
journal, November 2019