Comparison of electroluminescence image capture methods

In the field of photovoltaics, electroluminescence (EL) imaging has proven useful in determining the degradation of solar panels, primarily through use of expensive equipment within a confined lab setting. This study explored the potential of conducting EL imaging using relatively inexpensive equipment. Factors that heavily influenced the quality of EL images included voltage/current settings for the purpose of forward biasing the test panel, camera settings (aperture, shutter speed, and ISO), and amount of external light (not EL) detected by the camera. Once EL images were captured, the images with the best quality were analyzed and modified through image processing and photo editing. The quality of the final images was then validated through comparison with images captured in a controlled lab with higher quality equipment. Moreover, the results of transporting a solar panel are shown to be clearly observable using low-cost EL imaging.