Thin-film solar cells based on CIGS are being considered for large scale power plants as well as building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) applications. Past studies indicate that CIGS cells degrade rapidly when exposed to moisture. As a result, an effective approach to encapsulation is required for CIGS cells to satisfy the international standard IEC 61646. CIGS modules fabricated for use in large power plants can be encapsulated with glass sheets on the top and bottom surfaces and can be effectively sealed around the edges. In the case of BIPV applications, however, it is desirable to utilize CIGS cells grown on flexible substrates, both for purposes of achieving reduced weight and for cases involving non-flat surfaces. For these cases, approaches to encapsulation must be compatible with the flexible substrate requirement. Even in the case of large power plants, the glass-to-glass approach to encapsulation may eventually be considered too costly. We are investigating encapsulation of flexible CIGS cells by lamination. Sheets of PET or PEN coated with multilayer barrier coatings are used to laminate the flexible cells. Results are discussed for laminated cells from two CIGS manufacturers. In both cases, the cell efficiency decreases less than 10% after 1000 hours of exposure to an environment of 85ºC/85%RH. This paper discusses these two approaches, and reviews results for uncoated cells and mini-modules fabricated by the former Shell Solar Industries (SSI).
This paper concerns studies of encapsulated cells subjected to an environment of 85°C and 85%RH (85/85). Cells are encapsulated with PNNL multi-layer coatings (referred to as PML coatings) utilizing alternating layers of A1203, and an advanced polymer. The new polymer has been determined to withstand the 85/85 environment. Two types of cells were used for these studies, namely, SSI mini-modules (which are actually CIGSS devices) and CIGS cells provided by the Institute of Energy Conversion (IEC). Cells were coated and stressed at 85/85 in an environmental chamber.Current-voltage characteristics were acquired before and after coating, and periodically after being subjected to the 85/85 environment. Whereas coated SSI modules were determined to last 1000 hours when stressed at 60 o C/90%RH without degradation, the efficiency of these modules degrade to a level of 60% of the beginning-of-life value when stressed at 85/85. Encapsulated IEC cells, however, have exhibited extraordinary results. The efficiency of several encapsulated cells did not decrease for 1500 hours in an 85°C/85%RH environment. This results establishes a benchmark for stressed, encapsulated CIGS cells.
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