The Renewable Vitality Take a look at Middle (RETC) raised the difficulty of ultraviolet-induced degradation within the trending expertise of its PV Module Index 2022.
From pv journal USA
Yearly, Fremont, California’s Renewable Vitality Take a look at Middle (RETC) releases its PV Module Index, monitoring the newest tendencies in photo voltaic module high quality, efficiency, reliability, and rising applied sciences.
The most recent annual report, The PV Module Index 2022 opens with feedback on the rise of TOPCon photo voltaic modules, a expertise that’s more and more being adopted by main panel suppliers.
TOPCon was first demonstrated by Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Photo voltaic Vitality Techniques in 2013 and is now gaining market traction and acceptance.
The expertise consists of n-type PV cells with passivating contacts. The modules have robust floor passivation and efficient service transport, each of which contribute to a secure open-circuit voltage and excessive effectivity. The transfer to TOPCon comes as p-type passive emitter and rear-contact cell (PERC) modules start to succeed in their theoretical effectivity limits.
RETC says this effectivity enchancment makes TOPCon “photo voltaic’s busiest convention.”
The report notes that whereas Longi is “betting huge” on p-type TOPCon, many different main module firms, corresponding to JinkoSolar, Jollywood, JA Photo voltaic and Trina Photo voltaic are making vital investments in modules with n-type TOPCon cell designs.
“Via increased open-circuit voltage values, you’ll be able to obtain increased effectivity and energy rankings. In and of itself, that may probably drive producers of n-type TOPCon cell designs, as quickly as they get there,” stated Kenneth Sauer, chief engineer, VDE Americas.
RETC says attributable to manufacturing complexities, high-efficiency n-type cells utilizing heterojunction expertise (HJT) and interdigitated again contact (IBC) cells are comparatively costly to provide and stay a distinct segment phase. out there. As compared, n-type TOPCon cell manufacturing is similar to the PERC manufacturing course of, which makes for a better transition from current manufacturing strains.
“Though present n-type TOPCon modules price much less to fabricate on a per-watt foundation than p-type mono PERC modules, the effectivity positive factors end in a decrease price stage of power (LCOE) in large-scale discipline deployment. Above all, main specialists hope that n-type TOPCon will profit from a quick studying curve,” the report stated.
Nonetheless, as with all rising expertise, the report notes that the transfer in direction of TOPCon might include dangers. Whereas n-type TOPCon PV cells have been confirmed to be immune to light-induced degradation and light-weight and excessive temperature-induced degradation, some proof exists on the susceptibility to ultraviolet-induced degradation (UVID), which might chip away at module longevity.
Researchers on the SLAC Nationwide Accelerator Laboratory and the Nationwide Renewable Vitality Laboratory (NREL) have beforehand documented and again energy loss from these applied sciences. The info don’t level to a single mechanism of degradation however counsel that totally different cell designs degrade via totally different pathways, the report stated.
“We is not going to attempt to sound an alarm with out trigger,” stated Cherif Kedir, chief govt officer of RETC. “We simply wish to check the potential for UV harm to teach ourselves and the trade. If there is not any downside, we will all get on with our lives.”
Kedir recommends module producers conduct accelerated UVID testing as a part of a technical due diligence survey. If the cell’s passivation layers aren’t correctly oriented, they are often destroyed beneath this publicity. He recommends evaluating every new cell design on a case-by-case foundation.
“If there’s a downside, we are going to publish a report in order that the trade can get in entrance of the difficulty,” he stated.
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