Reliability, characterisation, and performance of photovoltaic modules

According to the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA), the photovoltaic industry had a global market growth of 129.1% for installed photovoltaic modules from 2.4GW in 2007 up to 5.5GW in 2008 (EPIA, 2009). As a matter of fact this industry is not only environmentally sound but also a very profitable branch of investment. Guaranteed quality of the modules is now more important than ever before. Since 2003 arsenal research has provided industry with qualified tests according to standards as well as with development accompanied tests with characterization and analysis of the electrical performance of photovoltaic modules. Quality strongly influences the module's ability to withstand rough climate conditions during prolonged outdoor exposure. Quality standards are determined by the design qualification and type approval according to IEC 61215. Based on the testing activities, a database has been developed and is continuously extended. This database contains information about module components and their specifications, different steps of production processes as specified by manufacturers and detailed tests results. The database represents a powerful tool to evaluate the enormous quantity of information obtained from the qualification testing. The challenge is to collect reliable data to find a trend. First results show that failures during the standard testing were mainly due to processing issues rather than to applying wrong components.