Do PV modules deteriorate after 22 years of exposure?

The analysis of the degradation mechanisms of 56 PV modules after 22 years of exposure and its comparison with other three research works has been presented.

What happens if a PV module fails?

The hotspot failure mechanism is considered the most severe failure and leads to catastrophic consequences. It deteriorates all PV module components if undetected, and a PV module affected by an elevated level of hotspots cannot reverse the degradation and often requires replacement.

Why is my PV module cracking?

Typical reasons for the heavy mechanical loads are wrong packaging during transport, dropping of a PV module parallel to the ground, tilting over of a PV module or very heavy snow load. This crack pattern indicates that the crack has occurred after the lamination process.

Do cracked PV modules lose power?

Buerhop et al. reported that PV modules with cracked cells had a greater than 10% power loss after six years of operation when compared to healthy ones.

What causes a PV module to break?

The glass cover of some PV modules may break or cells in the laminate may break due to vibrations and shocks. In the former case it is easy to attribute the glass breakage to the transportation or installation. This is clearly no PV module failure. However, the cause of cell breakage is much more difficult to decide.

Should I replace a PV module that displays deterioration?

Sometimes, it is even more effective to substitute a PV module that displays the early onset of deterioration as it will guarantee all deployed modules in PV plants continue generating the healthier (expected) power, regardless if their condition complies with the IEC 61215 standard .