A Review on Degradation of Silicon Photovoltaic Modules

Abstract

Photovoltaic (PV) panels are generally treated as the most dependable components of PV systems; therefore, investigations are necessary to understand and emphasize the degradation of PV cells. In almost all specific deprivation models, humidity and temperature are the two major factors that are responsible for PV module degradation. However, even if the degradation mode of a PV module is determined, it is challenging to research them in practice. Long-term response experiments should thus be conducted to investigate the influences of the incidence, rates of change, and different degradation methods of PV modules on energy production; such models can help avoid lengthy experiments to investigate the degradation of PV panels under actual working conditions. From the review, it was found that the degradation rate of PV modules in climates where the annual average ambient temperature remained low was -1.05% to -1.16% per year, and the degree of deterioration of PV modules in climates with high average annual ambient temperatures was -1.35% to -1.46% per year; however, PV manufacturers currently claim degradation rates of up to -0.5% per year.