Investigation of EVA Accelerated Degradation Test for Silicon Photovoltaic Modules

Abstract

Renewable energy has become more popular with the increase in the use of solar power. Consequently, the disposal of defective and old solar panels is gradually increasing giving rise to a new problem. Furthermore, the efficiency and power output decreases with aging. Researchers worldwide are engaged in solving this problem by developing eco-module technologies that restore and reuse the solar panels according to the defect types rather than simple disposal. The eco-module technology not only solves the environmental problem, but also has economic advantages, such as extending the module life. Replacement of encapsulants contributes to a major portion of the module maintenance plan, as the degradation of encapsulants accounts for 60% of the problems found in modules over the past years. However, the current International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard testing was designed for the commercialization of solar modules. As the problem caused by long-term use is not considered, this method is not suitable for the quality assurance evaluation of the eco-module. Therefore, to design a new accelerated test, this paper provides an overview of EVA degradation and comparison with the IEC and accelerated tests.