Characterization of Real-World and Accelerated Exposed PV Module Backsheet Degradation

Raymond Wieser, Yu Wang, Andrew Fairbrother, Sophia Napoli, Scott Julien, Adam Hauser, Liang Ji, Kai-tai Wan, Gregory O'Brien, Roger French, Michael Kempe, Xiaohong Gu, Kenneth Boyce, Laura Bruckman

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaperpeer-review

4 Scopus Citations

Abstract

Backsheet degradation is key to maintaining the lifetime of photovoltaic (PV) modules. Cracking, delamination, bubbling, and discoloration are main types of degradation. PV modules were collected from PV installations in multiple climatic zones. Multiple types of backsheets were obtained with poly(ethylene teraphlate) (PET) and polyamide air side layers being the largest number of backsheets retrieved. Multiple commercial PV backsheets were exposed to multiple accelerated exposures and key degradation mechanisms were identified. Polyamide backsheets showed cracking in retrieved modules and under accelerated exposures. Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and poly(vinyl fluoride) (PVF) showed the highest stability in retrieved and accelerated exposures. While polyamide had the largest amount of large scale degradation.

Original languageAmerican English
Pages3545-3549
Number of pages5
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2019
Event46th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2019 - Chicago, United States
Duration: 16 Jun 201921 Jun 2019

Conference

Conference46th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2019
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityChicago
Period16/06/1921/06/19

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 IEEE.

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/CP-5K00-78482

Keywords

  • accelerated exposures
  • backsheet degradation
  • cracking

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