Time-dependent changes in copper indium gallium (di)selenide and cadmium telluride photovoltaic modules due to outdoor exposure

摘要

The performance of photovoltaic (PV) modules deteriorates with time due to outdoor exposure. We investigated the time-dependent changes in PV modules and evaluated the amount of power generated during their lifetime. Once a year, the exposed modules were removed and measured under standard test conditions using a solar simulator. Their outputs were measured indoors and normalized to nominal values. In addition, the relationship between the indoor measurement and the energy yield for thin-film PV modules will be reported. In CIGS PV modules, the normalized maximum power (PMAX) and performance ratio (PR) differ with the type of module. The PMAX and PR of CdTe PV modules significantly decrease after outdoor exposure for three years. These results help to determine the characteristics of the time-dependent changes in the PMAX of PV modules due to outdoor exposure. (C) 2017 The Japan Society of Applied Physics