Eight-Year Degradation Assessment of Fielded Photovoltaics in Three Climates

Close

The project will study the rate and possible causes of degradation in PV modules that have been operating in the field for the last eight years. The modules were carefully characterized before deployment, and will be returned to the lab to be analyzed and compared with original measurements. Degradation rates will be quantified using indoor flash testing and outdoor module characterization on the two-axis tracker at Sandia National Laboratories. Visual inspection, infrared, and electroluminescence imaging will be used to identify types of degradation such as cell cracks, delamination, discoloration, and hot spots that can develop after long-term operation in the field. The team will analyze a variety of modules, including mono- and multi-crystalline silicon and cadmium telluride, in three different climates-hot and dry, hot and humid, and cold-and compare them to modules that have not been used in the field.