Manufacturing metrology for c-Si module reliability and durability Part III: Module manufacturing

Abstract

This article is the third and final article in a series dedicated to reviewing each process step in crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing process: feedstock, crystallization and wafering, cell fabrication, and module manufacturing. The goal of these papers is to identify relevant metrology techniques that can be utilized to improve the quality and durability of the final product. The focus of this article is on the module manufacturing process. The c-Si PV module fabrication process can be divided into three primary areas; (1) stringing and tabbing, (2) lamination, and (3) integration of junction box and bypass diode(s). Each of these processing steps can impact the reliability and durability of PV modules in the field. The ultimate goal of this article is to identify appropriate metrology techniques and characterization methods that can be utilized within a module manufacturing facility to improve the reliability and durability of the final product. Additionally, a gap analysis is carried out to identify areas in need of further research and a discussion is provided that addresses new challenges for advanced materials and emerging technologies.

Impact of interconnection failure on photovoltaic module performance

“…Historically, the most commonly used technology is ribbon tabbing. Ribbon tabbing consists of long, tin‐coated copper strands that are soldered onto the front and rear sides of the cells 2 . Other technologies have entered the PV market as alternatives, such as foils for back‐contact cells and shingling.…”

EVA Films Loaded with Layered Double Hydroxide (LDH) Modified with Methacrylic Anion: Effect of the Nanohybrid Filler on the Photodegradation Phenomena

“…One of these elements comprises the ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) as an encapsulation agent. The latter possesses several peculiar features, such as high transmittance, good adhesion to glass and relative weather and UV resistance, although degradation phenomena can occur for prolonged light exposure times [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. Degradation of EVA involves complex chemical and physical phenomena that mainly depend on temperature, UV radiation and moisture.…”

Spectroscopy Characterization of Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Degradation by Different Kinds of Accelerated Aging

“…Severe failures began to occur because of EVA yellowing which appeared within a few years of the usage (1,4,5). That led to produce newer EVA formulations of better antioxidants and ultraviolet UV absorbers for the same base resin, to overcome this problem of yellowing over a 20-30 year lifetime of a module (6). This phenomenon has been discussed by selecting module manufacturers, SERI staff, and a representative from Spring Born Laboratories, Inc. (5).…”