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3rd Atlas/NIST Workshop on Photovoltaic Materials Durability

Scope: Focus on durability issues of materials used in solar energy applications.

Small Solar Panel

In response to the concerns of durability and reliability of PV materials and modules, Atlas Material Testing Technology and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are pleased to host a two-day workshop on Photovoltaic Materials Durability for the global photovoltaic community. This workshop is distinguished from other PV conferences by its focus on measurement, exposure and modeling of durability for materials used in solar energy applications.

The Atlas/NIST Workshop on Photovoltaic Materials Durability will feature technical presentations, a poster session, standards discussion, and NIST facility tour. This event will allow participants to hear from and interact with industry experts ranging from material suppliers, module manufacturers, testing and certification companies to universities and national laboratories. Attendees will not only hear about advanced lifetime test methods, but will also have an opportunity to engage in open discussions on how to convert advanced research to consensus standards development.

Specifically addressed areas:

  • Accelerated weathering
  • Materials development
  • Advanced test methods
  • Fundamental research on degradation mechanism
  • Mutlilayer adhesion tests and long-term adhesion challenges
  • Field performance in different climates 
  • Modeling and lifetime assessment
  • Linkage between accelerated test and field performance
  • Correlation of material property with failure mode of modules
  • Standards needs

Presentations: 

Day 1: December 8th, 2015

 

Session1:PVModule Field Study (Chair: Kurt Scott, Atlas Material Testing Technology)

 

Use of Field Observations to Assess PV Module Reliability

John Wohlgemuth (NREL)

PV modules' reliability deployed in Japanese PV power plant from viewpoint of encapsulant

Tsuyoshi Shioda (Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.)

Degradation Study of Fielded PV Modules from Different Climates in China

Xian Dong (ShunDe SYSU Institute for Solar Energy, China)
 

Session2:AcceleratedLaboratory Testing of PV Modules and Materials (Chair: George Kelly)

 

Development of Accelerated Tests based on Analysis of Fielded Modules

Bill Gambogi (DuPont)

Accelerated Laboratory Testing towards SLP of PV Polymeric Components- Reciprocity Study and Spectral UV Wavelength Effect

Xiaohong Gu (NIST)

Investigating the Impact of Reciprocity on High-Irradiance Weathering Tests

Kenneth White (3M)

PV Component Weathering in IEC Standards – Development and Progress

Nancy Phillips (3M)

Applying the Fundamental Principles of Weathering to Environmental Durability Testing of PV Backsheets

Allen Zielnik (Atlas Material Testing Technology)

Predictive and semi-gSEM models of Poly(Ethylene-Terephthalate) under multi-factor accelerated weathering exposure

Prof. Roger French (Case Western Reserve University)

Prediction of Moisture Induced Degradation in the Field for Flexible PV Modules

Kedar Hardika (Miasolé)
   

FieldandAcceleratedLaboratory Tests - Panel Discussion
(Chairs:Kurt Scott & George Kelly)

   

Day 2: December 9th, 2015

 
   
Session3:Adhesionof PV Components (Chair: John Wohlgemuth, NREL)  
   
Degradation in PV Encapsulant Adhesion: An Interlaboratory Study David C. Miller (NREL)  
Thermo-Mechanical Degradation Mechanisms Relevant for Field Failures and Solar Lifetimes Reinhold Dauskardt (Stanford University)  
Holistic Reliability: Accelerated Testing of Adhesion of Silver Paste Mason Terry (DuPont)  
Moving the PV Industry to a Quantitative Adhesion Test Method Nick Bosco (NREL)  
   
Session4:ElectricalCharacterizationof PV materials and Modules (Chair: Nancy Phillips, 3M)  
   
Non-contact Electrical Characterization of PV Films Jan Obrzut ( NIST)  
PV Standards and Long Term Thermal Aging (LTTA) Christopher Flueckiger (UL)  
Electrical breakdown testing of polymeric materials intended for use in PV modules – standard development and progress Bernt-Ake Sultan (Borealis)  
   
Adhesion,ElectricalCharacterization& Posters - Panel Discussion
(Chairs:JohnWohlgemuth,Nancy Phillips & Xiaohong Gu)
 
   

 POSTERS 

Presenter

Affiliation

Poster Title (Click to view) 

Matthew Chicca

Arizona State University

Investigation of Field Aged Photovoltaic Modules for Encapsulant Discoloration Mechanisms 

Scott E Julien

Northeastern University

Characterization of the Adhesion Integrity in Photovoltaic Panels using Various Thermomechanical Blister Tests 

Steven Hegedus

University of Delaware

Evaluation of accelerated degradation modes in different PV cell technologies: applying light and voltage during damp-heat exposure 

R. de la Luz Santos Magdaleno

Renewable Energy Institute-UNAM

CdTe system analysis after 10 years exposure to a hot-humid climate in Huitchila-Mexico

D. Martínez Escobar

Renewable Energy Institute-UNAM

Electrical Performance and degradation analysis of a 25 Year Old Silicon PV Modules

P. A. Sánchez-Pérez

Renewable Energy Institute-UNAM

Field evaluation and degradation analysis of a-Si system after 13 years of exposure to a hot-humid

Chiao-Chi Lin

NIST

Understanding the Mechanisms of Surface Cracking of Multilayer

Yadong Lyu

NIST

Effect of Light Intensit and Wavelength on Discoloration of Laminated Glass-EVA- PPE PV Module

Sari Katz

NIST-Isral 1On Sabbatical leave from Soreq NRC

Raman Spectroscopy Application to Characterize EVA after UV Exposure

John Sparks

MAC

Development of precision UVTRH Exposure Chamber

Tim Johnson/ Dallas Meyer

Global Customer Quality

Enhanced Durability from Glass-Aluminum PV Module Package

Sponsors

Atlas Materials Testing Technology LLC (Atlas) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

     

Created September 14, 2015, Updated May 13, 2016