Product Review: PI Berlin offers in situ lab quality power measurements of PV power plants

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The device not only meets the current IEC 60904-9 standard but also satisfies the more rigorous forthcoming specifications.

Photovoltaik-Institut Berlin (PI Berlin) now has the capability to troubleshoot faults in PV power plants using a precision LED solar simulator. This device is the first of its kind to allow laboratory standard solar module power measurements to be taken in the field without the need to dismantle modules, according to the company. Until now, these measurements were only possible using mobile laboratories, which required modules to be removed from installations for testing. PI Berlin is presenting its new measurement method at this year’s Intersolar Europe exhibition in Munich, Germany, from 22–24 June 2016.

Problem

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

If a solar power plant fails to deliver the expected yield, this may be caused by a variety of factors. Power losses can often be traced back to the smallest of faults in PV modules, which aren’t recognized at first glance – for instance micro cracks in solar cells. To return a power plant to full productivity as rapidly as possible, faults and their relevance must be quickly pinpointed. With mobile labs out in the field you first need to dismantle several PV modules, which can take time and can also result in further damage to the modules.

Solution

The LED solar simulator was developed in collaboration with the innovative high-tech start-up Wavelabs and Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), one of the leading Swiss universities of its kind, and with the support of the professional association Electrosuisse. The device not only meets the current IEC 60904-9 standard but also satisfies the more rigorous forthcoming specifications. It is set on the module substructure at the site, so there is no need to remove modules and the output measurements are quicker and cheaper. The precision LED sun simulator replicates sunlight so realistically that engineers are able to test module power output with extreme accuracy at any time of the day or year. Testing at night has the added advantage for operators that there is no plant downtime.

Applications

In situ PV power plant power measurements.

Platform

Class AAA LED solar simulator was developed in collaboration with the innovative high-tech start-up Wavelabs and Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW). The device not only meets the current IEC 60904-9 standard but also satisfies the more rigorous forthcoming specifications.

Availability

June 2016 onwards.

This device is the first of its kind to allow laboratory standard solar module power measurements to be taken in the field without the need to dismantle modules, according to the company.

Read Next

September 17, 2025
Chinese module producer DAS Solar is planning a 5GW manufacturing facility focused on producing high-efficiency back contact cells.
Premium
September 17, 2025
PV CellTech: Martin Pochtaruk, CEO of North American solar module manufacturer Heliene, says US producers must learn to survive without tax incentives.
September 16, 2025
IB Solar is investing INR30 billion (US$340 million) in a 4GW TOPCon solar cell and module manufacturing plant in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh.
September 15, 2025
Vikram Solar has secured a contract to supply 200MW of modules to AB Energia, a domestic solar engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) solutions provider. 
September 10, 2025
At RE+ 2025, companies launched AI-driven platforms, terrain-following trackers, low-carbon modules, and advanced energy management solutions for solar and storage.
September 8, 2025
Vaisala has launched a new hail alert system aimed at solar operators grappling with an increasingly costly problem for PV installations.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA