The most important factor for PV technology to be competitive
with other conventional sources of power generation is cost effectiveness.
Long term reliability and durability are the terms that most manufacturers
look for when determining the warranty period of the module.
This is important not only to the manufacturers, but also to consumers
and researchers who play a key role in the commercial success of the
photovoltaic industry. With this in mind, many entities and manufacturers
have teamed up with ASU to create long-term testing programs to determine
the reliability and durability of the commercially available modules.
This project conducts and analyzes the results of long-term
exposure tests on modules in the desert climatic conditions of Arizona.
Over 100 modules from 3 different technologies (amorphous silicon,
Cadmium tellurite, mono-crystalline silicon, and poly-crystalline silicon)
are involved.
