Components level testing vs PV panel testing

Currently, the PV Evolution Labs (PVEL) Backsheet Durability Sequence (BDS) is considered to be the gold standard for evaluating long-term reliability of PV backsheets via several testing protocols that have been developed including different combinations of thermal cycling, high levels of humidity, and UV exposure. To date, these protocols have primarily been focused on the finished module itself – involving testing chambers that are not only large and expensive to operate, but which are also energy intensive when in operation.

Testing components before they go into a module, is more cost effective and sustainable – and leaves the module tests to focus more on the combination of materials and their compatibilities, as well as manufacturing quality.

In this upcoming pv magazine Webinar, Italian PV backsheet manufacturer Coveme and Canadian/US module producer Silfab Solar will present the results of their Highly Accelerated Life Testing (HALT) of PV backsheets which demonstrate that there is not only a strong correlation between the PVEL Backsheet Durability Sequence and the component-level HALT results, but that component level testing can be a crucial consideration for module manufacturers.

The component-level HALT testing was developed by materials manufacturer DuPont Teijin and applies similar criteria to PVEL’s Backsheet Durability Sequence. Michele Vannini, business manager at Coveme will discuss the two testing standards, before presenting the component-level HALT test results for the company’s backsheets which correlate closely to the final PVEL module-level test results.

Itai Suez, CTO of Silfab will go on to talk about the evolving standards for component level testing – where he is involved in the development of standards and technical specifications within the International ElectroTechnical Commission (IEC). Suez will argue that requiring upstream suppliers to apply more rigorous and standardized testing for components before they are considered in module designs is key, particularly as it can allow for better materials selection before module.

With Silfab testing between 30 to 50 modules per month, which are then either donated or recycled, and the fact that component testing chambers are much smaller and less energy intensive than their module counterparts, this level of testing makes sense on the sustainability front too.

pv magazine Webinar content:

• PVEL BDS vs. backsheet HALT testing
• Presentation of test results from Coveme’s backsheets
• The importance of component level testing
• Evolving industry standards and the future

Questions can be submitted beforehand or during the webinar through a chat window. Becky Beetz from pv magazine will be the moderator of this webinar.

Registration for this pv magazine Webinar is free of charge.