Investigation of Poor Performing PV Modules Observed in All-India Survey of PV Module Reliability 2016

This paper presents the analysis of the poor-performing PV modules observed in All-India Survey of PV Module Reliability 2016. The analysis shows that cracks in the cells, which lead to fill factor loss are one of the main causes of the high degradation rates. Also, higher encapsulant and metallization discoloration is seen in poorly performing modules. These modules are mostly found in small rooftop systems installed in recent years. The presence of cracks and excessive discoloration indicate that the quality of modules and/or installation procedures is not satisfactory at these sites.