Qualification and reliability of high efficiency multijunction concentrator solar cells for terrestrial applications

Peter Hebert

doi:10.1117/12.798132

10 September 2008 Qualification and reliability of high efficiency multijunction concentrator solar cells for terrestrial applications

Peter Hebert

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 7048, Reliability of Photovoltaic Cells, Modules, Components, and Systems; 70480A (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.798132
Event: Solar Energy + Applications, 2008, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) industry has created a qualification standard - IEC 62108. This standard applies to receivers and modules - certainly the most appropriate configurations for qualification and safety testing. CPV systems manufacturers expect the solar cells they buy to be qualified and highly reliable. However, the IEC qualification standard does not apply to the configurations offered by multijunction cell manufacturers and there are no accepted reliability test standards. This paper describes how one cell manufacturer adapted IEC 62108 to perform qualification testing on bare cells. Damp heat and high temperature durability qualification/reliability test results are shown for first generation CPV cells (C1MJ). Typical meteorological year data is analyzed for three locations to look at high temperature durability and to propose thermal cycle reliability test conditions. Space qualification testing is shown to envelope terrestrial thermal cycling and a thermal cycling reliability test is proposed. The space heritage of commercially available cells is reviewed to provide some background on reliability of multijunction cells.

Citation Download Citation

Peter Hebert "Qualification and reliability of high efficiency multijunction concentrator solar cells for terrestrial applications", Proc. SPIE 7048, Reliability of Photovoltaic Cells, Modules, Components, and Systems, 70480A (10 September 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.798132

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