Nondestructive monitoring of damage caused by accelerated ageing in photovoltaic modules

Accelerated ageing tests of photovoltaic laminates are requested by the IEC standards for quality control, which require the assessment of the electrical power losses after a prescribed amount of temperature and/or humidity cycles inside a climatic chamber (thermal cycling, humidity freeze, and damp heat tests). Since electric damage is measured only at the end of such tests, its kinetics induced by thermo-elastic stresses and the related degradation phenomena are reported in few cases. The aim of this study is to investigate the progress of damage, reporting the results of an unprecedented experimental campaign on a photovoltaic mini-module composed of nine multi-crystalline silicon solar cells, one of them containing a cracked cell, subject to a revised thermal cycling test including moisture. Every 40 cycles, and up to 460 (corresponding to 1840 h of testing), the progress of electric damage is assessed by monitoring the evolution of the overall electric resistance of the module. Moreover, electroluminescence images are taken with the same time interval, to assess local damage phenomena responsible for electric power-losses. Cracks are found to significantly accelerate the progress of damage as compared to what happens in intact solar cells, inducing progressive gridline failure and the spread of electrically inactive zones.