Less weight, more possibilities: development of lightweight PV modules for integrated applications and reliability challenges

Bin Luo

Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Energy Materials and Devices – Photovoltaik (IMD-3), Germany

E-mail: b.luo@fz-juelich.de

Abstract

On the roadmap towards “PV everywhere”, lightweight PV modules provide opportunities for solar integration into many applications, such as vehicles and buildings especially with weight constrained structures. However, theirreliability under different application-specific usage scenarios requires more investigation. This presentation combines development and reliability assessment on lightweight PV modules for vehicles and textile roofs, covering both rigid and flexible module architectures. Standard PV reliability testing based on IEC 61215, including thermal cycling, damp heat, hail impact, have been conducted on different module structures. The results demonstrate that fiber reinforced polymers, optimized encapsulation design and interconnections can improve the reliability of lightweight PV modules significantly. Additional application-specific tests, including cyclic bending and fire testing, further suggest the importance of selecting encapsulation and reinforcement materials tailored to the intend application. These results highlight the need to link material properties and failure mechanisms with operating conditions and integration requirements of each application. This approach provides guidance for the development of reliable lightweight PV modules in integrated PV applications.

Keywords: Lightweight PV modules; Integrated PV; Reliability