Cracked Solar Cell Performance Depends on Module Temperature

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaperpeer-review

5 Scopus Citations

Abstract

When cells in a crystalline silicon photovoltaic module crack, packaging materials hold the fragments together. Changes in module temperature cause cell fragments to move, allowing cracked metallization to lose and regain contact. We intentionally cracked cells in commercial PV modules and characterized the modules' temperature-dependent electroluminescence (EL) response. Here we show that (1) metallization makes contact across cracks in a way that is temperature dependent and (2) this contact is not a function of temperature, but is hysteretic. We expect that any electro-optical characterization made at a single temperature will be misleading as to the effects of cracked cells at different temperatures. And we expect that a single temperature sweep cannot fully characterize the temperature dependence of electro-optical performance of modules with cracked cells.

Original languageAmerican English
Pages1691-1692
Number of pages2
DOIs
StatePublished - 20 Jun 2021
Event48th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2021 - Fort Lauderdale, United States
Duration: 20 Jun 202125 Jun 2021

Conference

Conference48th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2021
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityFort Lauderdale
Period20/06/2125/06/21

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 IEEE.

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/CP-5K00-78991

Keywords

  • characterization
  • durability
  • electroluminescence
  • photovoltaic cells
  • photovoltaic modules
  • photovoltaics
  • reliability
  • solar energy

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Cracked Solar Cell Performance Depends on Module Temperature'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this