Photovoltaik-Institut Berlin to present research results at EU PVSEC 2014

BERLIN, GERMANY: The PI Photovoltaik-Institut Berlin will be presenting new testing procedures as well as new research results for the quality control of solar modules at the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition EU PVSEC in Amsterdam this September.

As a part of the research project FutureFab, in which five project partners worked for three years, PI-Berlin was responsible, in particular, for investigating durability, safety and reliability of innovative materials and bonding techniques, using its accredited test laboratory.

“Since the standard testing procedures are not always sufficient, particularly regarding new materials, we developed new test benches and procedures within the scope of project,” explains Simon Koch, project manager at the Photovoltaik-Institut Berlin.

Thanks to these procedures, the researchers can identify how susceptible encapsulation materials react to potential-induced degradation (PID). The new test benches allow the researchers to assess losses in yield on account of soiled solar modules in the field, to select appropriate cleaning methods and to determine the necessary cleaning intervals based on location.

By developing new production technologies and optimised process steps, PI-Berlin – along with the other project partners – has been able to sink the manufacturing costs of the next generation solar factories per Watt-peak significantly. The project FutureFab was completed on 30 June and financially supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and from the Innovationsallianz Photovoltaik.

The European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC) will take place from 23 to 26 September in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.