[en] This study quantifies degradation and projects the useful lifetime of polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules operating in the Atacama Desert, using I–V measurements taken after ten years of field exposure. The methodology included a visual inspection, outdoor I–V curve measurements, STC correction by IEC 60891 standard, and the evaluation of four key parameters Voc, Isc, Pmpp, and FF by comparing 2024 data with initial manufacturer specifications and ten long-term field studies conducted in comparable desert climates. Statistical analysis of the large-sample dataset (64 strings encompassing 1216 modules) yielded a mean degradation rate of 1.32%/year in Pmpp, corresponding to a projected lifetime of 15.15 years to the 80% power threshold, while a sensitivity analysis of realistic commissioning-time deviations in the initial power broadens the degradation rate to the range 0.87–1.58%/year and the associated lifetime to approximately 13–23 years. Common failure modes included cell cracking as an irreversible structural failure at the cell level, and environmental soiling as an optics-driven loss mechanism affecting the module frontsheet. These results emphasise the need for operation and maintenance strategies adapted to Atacama conditions and provide an STC-normalised benchmark that can support reliability assessment and warranty evaluation of PV plants in hyper-arid and other high-irradiance desert environments.
Duchene, Laurent ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département ArGEnCo > Analyse multi-échelles dans le domaine des matériaux et structures du génie civil
Tuninetti, Victor ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département ArGEnCo ; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
Narayan, Sunny ; School of Engineering and Sciences, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico
Moreno-Espino, Mailyn ; Faculty of Informatics, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain ; Institute of Knowledge Technology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Rivera, Marco ; Laboratorio de Conversión de Energías y Electrónica de Potencia (LCEEP), Vicerrectoría Académica, Universidad de Talca, Curicó, Chile ; Power Electronics, Machines and Control (PEMC) Research Institute, Faculty of Engineering, Lenton, United Kingdom
Langue du document :
Anglais
Titre :
Degradation and projected lifetime of polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic modules after 10 years of field exposure in the Atacama Desert
WBI - Wallonie-Bruxelles International CONACYT - Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología FONDECYT - Chile Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior ANID - Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo
Subventionnement (détails) :
The authors acknowledge funding from the bilateral research project DIE23-0001 (WBI/AGCID RI02). The authors also appreciate the support provided by the National Research and Development Agency (ANID) through the FONDECYT Regular grant number 1220556 and SERC Chile FONDAP 1523A0006 . Additional funding was provided by the Research Project PINV01-743 and PINV01-272 of the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) and the UK-FRANCE Science Innovation and Technology Researcher Mobility Scheme UUK Award #1102 . Furthermore, the authors acknowledge the Programa de Redu\u00E7\u00E3o de Assimetrias na P\u00F3s-Gradua\u00E7\u00E3o (PRAPG) - DRI - CAPES - Edital no 14/2023 .
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