What to expect from the PVEL ‘2020 PV Module Reliability Scorecard’

PV Tech’s analysis of the 2019 PV Module Reliability Scorecard highlighted that modules under thermal cycling tests improved 42% from the previous tests, despite the sequence duration being increased to 800 cycles, compared to 600 cycles previously. 

On the flipside, PV Tech noted that over 30% of the module Bills of Materials (BOMs) assessed in damp heat tests, failed one or more test criteria.

PV Tech’s analysis of the Top Performers in the 2019 full testing report, showed that the tougher test conditions meant that very few PV manufacturers with a specific module series tested across the four key testing regimes actually gained Top Performer status, compared to previous reports.

It has been well documented that PV module technology is advancing at incredible speed, compared to 10 years ago and 2019 was probably the most active year in the PV industry to date for innovation across silicon wafer types and sizes, adoption of advanced cell architectures and wider adoption of bifacial modules, just to mention a few innovations.

Of course, these innovations require rigorous and meaningful reliability testing, while maintaining the focus on well-established reliability tests, such as tough damp heat testing. 

.PAN files. 

A completely new category has been added to the Top Performer rankings based on PVEL’s custom .PAN files. 

This is intended to rank Top Performers by naming the module models with the best energy yield performance at two different simulated sites, based on PVEL’s measurements.

This will also include a discussion of bifacial module performance in addition to general conclusions from the .PAN files.

Case studies

Also included for the first time will be case studies related to PVEL’s LeTID Test sequence, including the latest findings, although will not be included this year as a Top Performers category. 

One of the other new tests relates to module backsheet reliability. Again, PVEL will show this as a case study and showcase key findings this year. 

Thermal cycling

Changes have been made to the thermal cycling test sequence that reverts to the 600-hour cycles instead of the previously increased cycling of 800 hours. PVEL will cover this development as well as provide a discussion of bifacial module performance in addition to the usual general conclusions.

Damp heat

PVEL has also added a boron-oxygen stabilization step to the tough damp heat testing regime and will provide insight into bifacial module performance under damp heat conditions. 

Dynamic mechanical loading

The dynamic mechanical loading test section of the report indicates the potential susceptibility to microcrack issues, which will be discussed in the latest Scorecard. 

PVEL is also including for the first time a discussion of bifacial and glass-glass module results in this testing regime and will give some general conclusions to date. 

PID

Results from the 2019 Scorecard showed 15 PV module manufacturers’ BOMs have PID under control, compared to 20 in the 2018 test report. However, PVEL has experienced an uptick in PID-susceptibility for this year’s Scorecard tests. Not surprisingly, PVEL will be highlighting this development in the 2020 report. 

The PV Tech TechTalk Webinars will include the key presentation by Tristan Erion-Lorico, head of PV module business at PV Evolution Labs (PVEL). Dr. Dana Olson, global solar segment leader at DNV GL will present on current trends in PV module quality and discuss how PVEL’s test data is used by DNV GL as part of a module useful life analysis. 

I will be moderating the webinars and join to cover PV Tech’s analysis of Top Performers and its highlights from the 2020 Scorecard as compared to the previous editions.
 
The PV Module Reliability Scorecard will be available for download at www.pvel.com/pv-scorecard following the webinar.