Long-Term Performance Data and Analysis of CIS/CIGS Modules Deployed Outdoors: Paper No. 704504

The long-term performance data of copper indium diselenide (CIS) and gallium-alloyed CIS (CIGS) photovoltaic (PV) modules are investigated to assess the reliability of this technology. We study and report on numerous PV modules acquired from two manufacturers (A and B), deployed at NREL's outdoor test facility (OTF) in various configurations in the field: some are free standing, loaded with a fixed resistance and periodically tested indoors at STC; other modules are connected to data acquisition systems with their performance continuously monitored. Performance is characterized using current-voltage (I-V) measurements obtained either at standard test conditions or under real-time monitoring conditions: the power parameters plus other factors relating to quality like diode quality factors or series resistance are analyzed for changes against time. Using standard diode analysis to determine the sources of degradation indicates that CIS modules can exhibit between moderate and negligible degradation, with the dominant loss mode being fill factor declines along with decreases in open-circuit voltage, for illumination intensities near 1-sun. At lower intensities, current losses can appear appreciable. The real-time performance data also indicate that fill factor loss is the primary degradation mode, generally as a result of increases in series resistance.