Assuring long-term reliability of concentrator PV systems

R. McConnell; V. Garboushian; J. Brown; C. Crawford; K. Darban; D. Dutra; S. Geer; V. Ghassemian; R. Gordon; G. Kinsey; K. Stone; G. Turner

doi:10.1117/12.826729

2 September 2009 Assuring long-term reliability of concentrator PV systems

R. McConnell, V. Garboushian, J. Brown, C. Crawford, K. Darban, D. Dutra, S. Geer, V. Ghassemian, R. Gordon, G. Kinsey, K. Stone, G. Turner

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 7412, Reliability of Photovoltaic Cells, Modules, Components, and Systems II; 741208 (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.826729
Event: SPIE Solar Energy + Technology, 2009, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Concentrator PV (CPV) systems have attracted significant interest because these systems incorporate the world's highest efficiency solar cells and they are targeting the lowest cost production of solar electricity for the world's utility markets. Because these systems are just entering solar markets, manufacturers and customers need to assure their reliability for many years of operation. There are three general approaches for assuring CPV reliability: 1) field testing and development over many years leading to improved product designs, 2) testing to internationally accepted qualification standards (especially for new products) and 3) extended reliability tests to identify critical weaknesses in a new component or design. Amonix has been a pioneer in all three of these approaches. Amonix has an internal library of field failure data spanning over 15 years that serves as the basis for its seven generations of CPV systems. An Amonix product served as the test CPV module for the development of the world's first qualification standard completed in March 2001. Amonix staff has served on international standards development committees, such as the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), in support of developing CPV standards needed in today's rapidly expanding solar markets. Recently Amonix employed extended reliability test procedures to assure reliability of multijunction solar cell operation in its seventh generation high concentration PV system. This paper will discuss how these three approaches have all contributed to assuring reliability of the Amonix systems.

Citation Download Citation

R. McConnell, V. Garboushian, J. Brown, C. Crawford, K. Darban, D. Dutra, S. Geer, V. Ghassemian, R. Gordon, G. Kinsey, K. Stone, and G. Turner "Assuring long-term reliability of concentrator PV systems", Proc. SPIE 7412, Reliability of Photovoltaic Cells, Modules, Components, and Systems II, 741208 (2 September 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.826729

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