Comparison of performance of PV modules subjected to “solar thermal humidity cycles” with modified and extended IEC protocols

A sustainable photovoltaic market is possible only if long term reliability is established. Lifetime of PV modules estimated using accelerated tests should be directly correlated with degradation rates from existing installations. A comprehensive indoor accelerated lifetime test program has been developed by PVMC with industry inputs to address the challenges in understanding the reliability of PV modules. The results of existing IEC protocols will be directly compared with modified and extended protocols. Testing of two types of CIGS modules, indicate that failure modes are different with the inclusion of either illumination or biased conditions suggesting differences in the underlying mechanisms.