Quantitative Electroluminescence Imaging Analysis for Performance Estimation of PID-Influenced PV Modules

An empirical method for estimating relative power losses caused by potential-induced degradation (PID) for p-type solar cells and modules using quantitative electroluminescence (EL) analysis (QELA) is presented. First, EL images are corrected for camera- and perspective distortion. The relative powe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inIEEE journal of photovoltaics Vol. 8; no. 5; pp. 1281 - 1288
Main Authors Bedrich, Karl G., Luo, Wei, Pravettoni, Mauro, Chen, Daming, Chen, Yifeng, Wang, Zigang, Verlinden, Pierre J., Hacke, Peter, Feng, Zhiqiang, Chai, Jing, Wang, Yan, Aberle, Armin G., Khoo, Yong Sheng
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Piscataway IEEE 01.09.2018
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
Subjects
Cameras
Current measurement
Degradation
Electroluminescence
Electroluminescence (EL)
Empirical analysis
Irradiance
Loss measurement
MATERIALS SCIENCE
metrology
Modules
performance evaluation
photovoltaic (PV) modules
Photovoltaic cells
Photovoltaic systems
potential-induced degradation (PID)
Power loss
Solar cells
SOLAR ENERGY
Strings
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Summary:An empirical method for estimating relative power losses caused by potential-induced degradation (PID) for p-type solar cells and modules using quantitative electroluminescence (EL) analysis (QELA) is presented. First, EL images are corrected for camera- and perspective distortion. The relative power loss map is then calculated from the logarithmic ratio of two EL images, taken either before and after PID degradation or at different applied currents. Only the cell average of the resulting power loss map is evaluated. The highest power loss across each string is averaged to obtain the overall power loss. Consequently, for modules with three strings, three cells are averaged. The resulting power loss depends on the current applied. The conversion to equivalent irradiance allows for comparison of measured and estimated device performance. The analysis of roughly 2000 EL images and related current-voltage ( I-V ) curves indicates a good agreement between flash-test-measured and performance estimated using QELA. A relative root mean square error of 1-3% can be achieved.
Bibliography:AC36-08GO28308
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
NREL/JA-5K00-72198
ISSN:2156-3381
2156-3403
DOI:10.1109/JPHOTOV.2018.2846665