Introducing ‘PEARL-PV’: Performance and Reliability of Photovoltaic Systems: Evaluations of Large-Scale Monitoring Data

Abstract

This paper will introduce a recently initiated COST Action entitled PEARL-PV and show its4-year research and work plan with the aim to create exposure, receive feedback from various stakeholders and involve new participants to this research network. PEARL-PV has started at theend of 2017 with the aim to improve the energy performance and reliability of photovoltaic (PV) solar energy systems in Europe leading to lower costs of electricity produced by PV systems by a higher energy yield, a longer life time eventually beyond the guaranteed 20 years as specified by manufacturers, and a reduction in the perceived risk in investments in PV projects. This objective will be achieved by analyzing data of the actual monitored long-term performancedefects and failures in PV systems installed all over Europe to quantitatively determine the absolute influences of components rated performance, key design of systems, installation, operation, maintenance practice, geographic location and weather factors on the performance, performance degradation over time and failure modes of these PV systems. It is very important to ensure the performance of PV systems to achieve long-term goals for PV systems in the future single energy market such as: economic viability, securing investments, environmental sustainability and security and predictability of supply. The PEARL-PV project aims at the formation of aninclusive network of PV system researchers, data resources that will be analyzed by researchers and experts that can include more-nuanced evidence-based reliability in PV system evaluationmethods and simulation and design tools.