Power Stabilization of Crystalline PV Modules

PV modules made of crystalline silicon solar cells suffer an initial slight loss in peak power, an effect known as "light induced power stabilization". Many module producers know this effect and have this light induced degradation (LID) included in their product guarantee. Before starting the IEC reliability tests, PV modules need to show a stable output. Which is why they must be exposed to natural sunlight or an artificial light source in a solar simulator at over 20kWh/m2. This power stabilization test is also compulsory according to the IEC 61215 standard on certification of photovoltaic modules. When different combinations of module materials are tested for durability in, for instance, damp heat (DH) or thermal cycle (TC) testing, stable solar cells are needed as a reference to distinguish between the various effects of the materials. This makes it possible to distinguish between the different aging effects. In the performed experiments, durability testing results with and without light soaking (40kWh) were compared.