Encapsulant Degradation in Photovoltaic Modules
摘要
Recent studies have highlighted the major impact of the composition and quality of the polymer materials used in the transparent encapsulant and backsheets (BSs) on the lifetime and degradation of photovoltaic (PV) modules. The premature failure of the polymer components under demanding environmental conditions was found to be a major contributing factor in the underperformance of PV systems before the expected module lifetime of 20 to 30 years is reached. Previous studies have shown that polymer degradation tends to accelerate after 5–10 years of field exposure. This study is an overview of the structure and polymer material combinations that were found in modules that were tested during field studies in 2022–23 on large PV farms in the Northern Cape region of South Africa. The testing methods that were used and preliminary results will be presented.