PV Modules Deterioration with Less than 15 Years Installation in Thailand

Abstract:

This paper presents the investigation on deterioration of PV modules installed in Thailand. The modules under this study were dismantled and collected from KMUTT installation in the Buriram province. Modules were same model of modules that were installed over a thousand of solar water pumping systems and battery charging stations by Green E-san project since end of the 1980's and in earlier of 1990's. There are 35 modules, single crystalline silicon sized 47 Wp, in this study that were exposed in the field with less than 15 years. The experiments consist of visual inspection and measurement of performance at standard test condition (STC 1000 W/m², 25 °C AM1.5) according to IEC61215:2005 standard. It is found that physical deteriorations and power output degradations. The physical deteriorations in this study can be classified delamination on middle cell, delamination on bus bar, delamination of edge cell and discoloration. For power output degradation, there is no module that was degraded less than 20% of nameplate wattage. There are only 8 of 35 modules (~23%) having power output over 50% of power rating.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 931-932)
• Pages: 1068-1072
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.931-932.1068
• Online since: May 2014
• Authors: Buntoon Wiengmoon*, Krissanapong Kirtikara, Chaya Jivacate, Dhirayut Chenvidhya
• Keywords: Delaminating, Deterioration, Discoloration, Electrical Properties

References

[1] IEC61215: Crystalline silicon terrestrial photovoltaic (PV)modules–Design qualification and type approval.

DOI: 10.3403/00583064

[2] J.H. Wohlgemuth, BP Solar Int. Inc., MD. Frederick, D.W. Cunningham, P. Monus, J. Miller, Long Term Photovoltaic Module Reliability, Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, Conference Record of the 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference, 2 (2006) 2050 – (2053).

DOI: 10.1109/wcpec.2006.279905

[3] P. Parinya, B. Wiengmoon, D. Chenvidhya, C. Jivacate, K. Kirtikara and C. Limsakul, Comparative Study of Solar Cells Characteristics by Temperature Measurement, EUPVSEC 22nd, (2007) 2775-2778.

[4] C. Dechthummarong, B. Wiengmoon, D. Chenvidhya, C. Jivacate, K. Kirtikara, Physical deterioration of encapsulation and electrical insulation properties of PV modules after long term operation in Thailand , Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells 94: 9 (2010).

DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2012.04.011

[5] O.S. Sastry, Sriparn Saurabh, S.K. Shil, P.C. PantCorresponding author contact information, E-mail the corresponding author, Rajesh Kumar, Arun Kumar, Bibek Bandopadhyay, Performance analysis of field exposed single crystalline silicon modules, Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells 94: 9 (2010).

DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2010.03.035

[6] S. KaplanisCorresponding, E. Kaplani, Energy performance and degradation over 20 years performance of BP c-Si PV modules, Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory 19: 4 (2011) 1201–1211.

DOI: 10.1016/j.simpat.2010.07.009