Why Modules bought anonymously on the Market should be tested in Addition to IEC Certification?

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1 Why Modules bought anonymously on the Market should be tested in Addition to IEC Certification? 5th SMET Advanced PV Technology Conference München, Dipl.-Ing. Willi Vaaßen TÜV Immissionsschutz und Energiesysteme GmbH TÜV Rheinland Group Am Grauen Stein, Köln, Germany Tel.: 0221/ , Fax 0221/ Internet:

2 TÜV Rheinland Immissionsschutz und Energiesysteme GmbH More than 25 years of experience in testing solar energy devices Testing and certification of PV modules and components according to - IEC (Type Approval Test for Crystalline Modules) - IEC (Type Approval Test for Thin Film Modules) - IEC (Type Approval Test for Concentrator Modules) - IEC (Electrical Safety Test) including factory inspections Five accredited test laboratories in different countries worldwide Applied research on PV module technology Collaboration in national and international standardization committees (DKE, IEC, CENELEC)

3 TÜV Rheinland Immissionsschutz und Energiesysteme GmbH Further Services Testing and certification of solar thermal collectors Advisory services for PV projects Acceptance, monitoring and yield analysis of large-scale plants Measurement of module performance Research on life cycle analysis, performance characterisation and material properties Benefits for Our Customers Fifty qualified and experienced members of staff only in Cologne,Germany Worldwide known brand, certificate and test mark Long-term experience in international projects New test laboratory facilities in Cologne with highly specialized measurement equipment and optimized test realization periods

4 Introduction Requirements Why introduce another Testing Scheme? Standards and Certification Mystery Shopping Test

5 Requirements Requirements for PV Modules Safe operation Long time of operation, suitable for the application, little degradation Fulfilling the guaranteed specifications, especially concerning nominal power Little tolerances High energy yield Short payback times Long warranty

6 Requirements Environmental Influences on PV Modules Temperature: heat, frost, night-day cycles Irradiance: sun, sky Humidity Mechanical stress: wind & snow load hail impacts Moisture: rain, dew, frost Atmosphere: salt mist, dust, sand, pollution

7 Standards and Certification Type approval of PV Modules - Standards IEC 61215:2005 (EN 61215:2005) Crystalline silicon terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules Design qualification and type approval IEC 61730:2004 (EN 61730:2007) Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification IEC 61646:2008 (EN 61646:2008) Thin-film terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules Design qualification and type approval EN 50380:2003 Datasheet and nameplate information for photovoltaic modules

8 Standards and Certification IEC & Test Sequences Visual inspection, power determination, insulation test (dry and wet) Electrical properties UV preconditioning Damp heat test Thermal cycling (TC200) Outdoor exposure Thermal Cycling (TC50) Bypassdiode test Humidity freeze test Hot-spot test Robustness of terminations Mechanical load test Hail impact Light-soaking only IEC Visual inspection, power determination, insulation test (dry and wet)

9 Standards and Certification Thermal Cycling Test 200 (50) Temperature cycles from -40 C to 85 C Current flow (I MPP ±2%) through the modules at T > 25 C

10 Standards and Certification Experience from Product Certification: Defects detected in Thermal Cycling Test Cell Shifts Cell cracks

11 Standards and Certification Thermal Cycling Test IV characteristic before and after thermal cycling test Current / A Initial measurement after TC Voltage / V

12 Standards and Certification Thermal Cycling Test - Defects Degradation of power due to torn, cracked or bend cell or string connectors (especially between the solar cells) Degradation of power due to bad soldering connections (thermal stress between copper and silicon) Loss of complete or part of strings due to torn cell connectors or open solder joints Cracked solar cells

13 Standards and Certification Damp Heat Test Temperature: 85 C ± 2 C Relative humidity: 85% ± 5% Duration: 1000 hrs

14 Standards and Certification Experience from Product Certification: Defects detected in Damp Heat Test Delamination of encapsulation material Delamination of backside material

15 Standards and Certification Experience from Product Certification: Defects detected in Damp Heat Test Cell delamination Corrosion of cell interconnector

16 Standards and Certification Experience from Product Certification: Defects detected in Damp Heat Test Corrosion of glas Corrosion of string interconnector

17 Standards and Certification Damp Heat Test IV characteristic before and after damp heat test Current / A 10,0 9,0 8,0 7,0 6,0 5,0 4,0 3,0 2,0 1,0 0,0 Initial measurement 0,0 5,0 10,0 15,0 20,0 25,0 30,0 35,0 Voltage / V after damp heat test

18 Standards and Certification Damp Heat Test Use of not suitable materials or material combinations (especially polymers in junction boxes, etc.) Insufficient lamination quality (gel content of EVA too low, dirt or air enclosures, etc.) Degradation of power due to increased series resistance (e.g. corrosion of solder joints)

19 Standards and Certification IEC & Pass Criteria After completion of all test sequences: Crystalline modules: maximum relative power degradation after each test is < 5%; thin-film modules: final output power after light-soaking must be at least 90% of the minimum rated power Minimum requirements of electric insulation have to be met (dry and wet) No major visual defects

20 Standards and Certification Wet Leakage Current Test Insulation resistance under wet conditions > 40 MOhm / A [m²]

21 Standards and Certification IEC Test Sequences Preconditioning according to IEC / IEC Cut test Impulse voltage test Insulation test Temperature test Component tests Foils Junction boxes Accessibility test Without preconditioning Ground continuity Accessibility test Reverse current test Partial discharge Conduit bending test Fire test Module breakage test Terminal knock out test Visual inspection, insulation test (dry and wet)

22 Standards and Certification IEC Pass Criteria Depending on each test the specific pass criteria must be fulfilled: Fulfill the minimum requirements for insulation (wet and dry) No major visual defects No danger to persons caused by the weathered modules

23 Why introduce Another Testing Scheme? Market Situation Challenges to meet IEC standards aim at providing information on technical reliability, long-life cycle and electrical safety of PV modules Information on test procedures is available in the respective standards only and not yet translated to the average end-user of PV modules

24 Why introduce Another Testing Scheme? Test Mark and Certificate

25 Why introduce another Testing Scheme? Market Situation Challenges to meet Failures in the field although PV modules are certified Do the modules certified reflect the quality level available on the market? No common quality level of all test institutions despite testing according to same international standards Misuse: fake or misleading certificates Strong demand for benchmarking and for explaining quality requirements to the end user

26 Why introduce another Testing Scheme? Field Experience - Delamination

27 Why introduce another Testing Scheme? Field Experiences - Damaged Connections, Arcing

28 Why introduce another Testing Scheme? Market Situation Challenges to meet Failures in the field although PV modules are certified Do the modules certified reflect the quality level available on the market? No common quality level of all test institutions despite testing according to same international standards Misuse: fake or misleading certificates Strong demand for benchmarking and for explaining quality requirements to the end user

29 Why introduce another Testing Scheme? Different Certification Systems (1) No certification (2) Product Certification (3) Product Certification and Factory Inspections Type approval test Performance Test (IEC or 61646) Safety Test (IEC 61730) Type approval test Performance Test (IEC or 61646) Safety Test (IEC 61730) Factory Inspections Preliminary audit Regular follow-ups

30 Why introduce another Testing Scheme? Market Situation Challenges to meet Failures in the field although PV modules are certified Do the modules certified reflect the quality level available on the market? No common quality level of all test institutions despite testing according to same international standards Misuse: fake or misleading certificates Strong demand for benchmarking and for explaining quality requirements to the end user

31 Why introduce another Testing Scheme? Misuse: fake or misleading certificates

32 Why introduce another Testing Scheme? Market Situation Challenges to meet Failures in the field although PV modules are certified Do the modules certified reflect the quality level available on the market? No common quality level of all test institutions despite testing according to same international standards Misuse: fake or misleading certificates Strong demand for benchmarking and for explaining quality requirements to the end user

33 Mystery Shopping Test Project Partners Solarpraxis AG contract contracts Manufacturers Mystery Shoppers contracts buy samples for product testing TÜV Rheinland compose and develop test criteria Advisory Board Retailers

34 Mystery Shopping Test Test Design - Overview Chapter Weighting 1. Labels & Certificates 15 % 2. Electrical Safety 25 % 3. Power 20 % 4. Aging resistance 25 % 5. Manufacture 10 % 6. Soft test criteria 5%

35 Standards and Certification Experience from Product Certification: Failure Statistics - Crystalline Modules ( ) Bypass diode thermal test 6% Humidity freeze test 6% Remaining (each < 2%) 20% Accesibility test 6% Initial measurements 9% Hot spot endurance test 9% Damp heat test 14% Thermal cycling test 30%

36 Standards and Certification Experience from Product Certification: Failure Statistics - Thin Film Modules ( ) Final lightsoaking 8% Remaining (each < 2%) 29% Thermal cycling test 13% Initial measurements 13% Hot spot endurance test 11% Damp heat test 26%

37 Conclusion Mystery Shopping Test makes manufacteres aware of the importance of constant quality control and stimulates competition samples represent the quality available on the market at the time makes information on quality transparent and available for end users will support existing certification schemes

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