skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Degradation in PV Encapsulation Transmittance: An Interlaboratory Study Towards a Climate-Specific Test

Abstract

Reduced optical transmittance of encapsulants resulting from ultraviolet (UV) degradation has frequently been identified as a cause of decreased PV module performance through the life of service in the field. The present module safety and qualification standards, however, apply short UV doses only capable of examining design robustness or 'infant mortality' failures. Essential information that might be used to screen encapsulation through product lifetime remains unknown. For example, the relative efficacy of xenon-arc and UVA-340 fluorescent sources or the typical range of activation energy for degradation is not quantified. We have conducted an interlaboratory experiment to provide the understanding that will be used towards developing a climate- and configuration-specific (UV) weathering test. Five representative, known formulations of EVA were studied in addition to one TPU material. Replicate laminated silica/polymer/silica specimens are being examined at 14 institutions using a variety of indoor chambers (including Xenon, UVA-340, and metal-halide light sources) or field aging. The solar-weighted transmittance, yellowness index, and the UV cut-off wavelength, determined from the measured hemispherical transmittance, are examined to provide understanding and guidance for the UV light source (lamp type) and temperature used in accelerated UV aging tests.

Authors:
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; more »; ; ; ; ; « less
Publication Date:
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:
1250676
Report Number(s):
NREL/CP-5J00-66364
DOE Contract Number:  
AC36-08GO28308
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: Presented at the 2015 IEEE 42nd Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (PVSC), 14-19 June 2015, New Orleans, Louisiana; Related Information: Proceedings of the 2015 IEEE 42nd Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (PVSC), 14-19 June 2015, New Orleans, Louisiana
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; reliability; durability; thermal activation

Citation Formats

Miller, David C., Annigoni, Eleonora, Ballion, Amal, Bokria, Jayesh G., Bruckman, Laura S., Burns, David M., Chen, Xinxin, Elliott, L., Feng, J., French, Roger H., Fowler, S., Gu, X., Hacke, Peter L., Honeker, C. C., Kempe, Michael D., Khonkar, H., Kohl, M., Perret-Aebi, Laure-Emmanuelle, Phillips, N. H., Scott, K. P., Sculati-Meillaud, F., Shioda, T., Suga, S., Watanabe, S., and Wohlgemuth, John H. Degradation in PV Encapsulation Transmittance: An Interlaboratory Study Towards a Climate-Specific Test. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355607.
Miller, David C., Annigoni, Eleonora, Ballion, Amal, Bokria, Jayesh G., Bruckman, Laura S., Burns, David M., Chen, Xinxin, Elliott, L., Feng, J., French, Roger H., Fowler, S., Gu, X., Hacke, Peter L., Honeker, C. C., Kempe, Michael D., Khonkar, H., Kohl, M., Perret-Aebi, Laure-Emmanuelle, Phillips, N. H., Scott, K. P., Sculati-Meillaud, F., Shioda, T., Suga, S., Watanabe, S., & Wohlgemuth, John H. Degradation in PV Encapsulation Transmittance: An Interlaboratory Study Towards a Climate-Specific Test. United States. https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355607
Miller, David C., Annigoni, Eleonora, Ballion, Amal, Bokria, Jayesh G., Bruckman, Laura S., Burns, David M., Chen, Xinxin, Elliott, L., Feng, J., French, Roger H., Fowler, S., Gu, X., Hacke, Peter L., Honeker, C. C., Kempe, Michael D., Khonkar, H., Kohl, M., Perret-Aebi, Laure-Emmanuelle, Phillips, N. H., Scott, K. P., Sculati-Meillaud, F., Shioda, T., Suga, S., Watanabe, S., and Wohlgemuth, John H. 2015. "Degradation in PV Encapsulation Transmittance: An Interlaboratory Study Towards a Climate-Specific Test". United States. https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355607.
@article{osti_1250676,
title = {Degradation in PV Encapsulation Transmittance: An Interlaboratory Study Towards a Climate-Specific Test},
author = {Miller, David C. and Annigoni, Eleonora and Ballion, Amal and Bokria, Jayesh G. and Bruckman, Laura S. and Burns, David M. and Chen, Xinxin and Elliott, L. and Feng, J. and French, Roger H. and Fowler, S. and Gu, X. and Hacke, Peter L. and Honeker, C. C. and Kempe, Michael D. and Khonkar, H. and Kohl, M. and Perret-Aebi, Laure-Emmanuelle and Phillips, N. H. and Scott, K. P. and Sculati-Meillaud, F. and Shioda, T. and Suga, S. and Watanabe, S. and Wohlgemuth, John H.},
abstractNote = {Reduced optical transmittance of encapsulants resulting from ultraviolet (UV) degradation has frequently been identified as a cause of decreased PV module performance through the life of service in the field. The present module safety and qualification standards, however, apply short UV doses only capable of examining design robustness or 'infant mortality' failures. Essential information that might be used to screen encapsulation through product lifetime remains unknown. For example, the relative efficacy of xenon-arc and UVA-340 fluorescent sources or the typical range of activation energy for degradation is not quantified. We have conducted an interlaboratory experiment to provide the understanding that will be used towards developing a climate- and configuration-specific (UV) weathering test. Five representative, known formulations of EVA were studied in addition to one TPU material. Replicate laminated silica/polymer/silica specimens are being examined at 14 institutions using a variety of indoor chambers (including Xenon, UVA-340, and metal-halide light sources) or field aging. The solar-weighted transmittance, yellowness index, and the UV cut-off wavelength, determined from the measured hemispherical transmittance, are examined to provide understanding and guidance for the UV light source (lamp type) and temperature used in accelerated UV aging tests.},
doi = {10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355607},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1250676}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jun 14 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Sun Jun 14 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}

Conference:
Other availability
Please see Document Availability for additional information on obtaining the full-text document. Library patrons may search WorldCat to identify libraries that hold this conference proceeding.

Save / Share: