High Efficiency Silicon Module Degradation - From Atoms to Systems: Preprint

Dirk Jordan, Dana Sulas-Kern, Steven Johnston, Helio Moutinho, Chuanxiao Xiao, Chun Sheng Jiang, Matthew Young, Andrew Norman, Christopher Deline, Ingrid Repins, Raghavi Bhoopathy, Oliver Kunz, Ziv Hameiri, Cassidy Sainsbury

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper

Abstract

For PV to be cost competitive with traditional energy sources reliability is of critical importance. Historically, PV reliability has focused on the module packaging because degradation and failure modes were directly linked to the packaging. Today, in addition to module packaging cell related reliability issues can be observed. We show that silicon heterojunction (SHJ) degradation is directly linked to the re-distribution of hydrogen (H) near the interface between the amorphous-silicon (a-Si) and silicon bulk. PERC modules show a similar decline in carrier lifetime indicating that not the packaging but the cells are also changing during field exposure. Examination of a stressed PERC cell showed a similar H redistribution in the cell. Understanding the degradation mechanism at the atomic level is important in facilitating possible mitigating mechanisms and more accurately projecting performance.
Original languageAmerican English
Number of pages9
StatePublished - 2020
Event37th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC 2020) -
Duration: 7 Sep 202011 Sep 2020

Conference

Conference37th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC 2020)
Period7/09/2011/09/20

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/CP-5K00-77483

Keywords

  • degradation
  • high-efficiency
  • PV reliability
  • silicon

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