BIPV Modules Characterization: A Comparison Between Thin-film and Crystalline Silicon Modules for BIPV Applications

The building sector contributes to 36% of the total CO emissions in Europe. Solar energy is considered one of the most promising solutions to reduce CO2 emissions from building-related energy demands. Building-integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) have acquired special interest due to their dual purpose of generating clean energy and act as a protective envelope for the building itself. Even though the BIPV market is expanding, there are challenges that these systems must face. Partial shading conditions, high operating temperatures, and mechanical loads during installation are non-ideal conditions that are difficult to avoid in BIPV systems. Thin-film technology in solar cells has become popular for BIPV applications due to its light weight and pleasing appearance. Thin-film manufacturers claim a better performance under shading conditions and high temperatures in comparison with conventional crystalline silicon technology; however, the reliability of this technology it is not certain. In this research project, crystalline silicon and thin-film photovoltaic modules were submit- ted to shading stress and high operating temperatures that simulate real conditions in order to compare their performance and reliability. Furthermore, response to physical stress typical during the installation of these panels was conducted. Higher performance under partial shading conditions was demonstrated for thin-film modules; however, the reverse bias caused by partial shading caused irreversible damage heat spots in the shaded areas. Some of these heat spots instantaneously caused an irreversible damage in the thin-film modules leading to an output power loss. As a result, it was demonstrated that crystalline silicon has a better reliability under shade conditions than thin-film. Photovoltaic modules with glass-foil configuration suffered intensive damage under mechanical loads, while glass-glass did not show any kind of damage. Additionally, the temperature coefficient measurement exhibited uncertainties that are related to the solar simulator spectrum utilized for the experimental setup.Electrical Engineering | Sustainable Energy Technolog