| Work Detail |
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Researchs (CSIR) stress testing laboratory in South Africa offers support to local manufacturers, project developers, system owners, and lenders in the solar photovoltaic (PV) value chain.
The CSIR Energy Centre commissioned a quality and reliability laboratory for testing solar FV module reliability in accelerated timeframes, reducing 25 years to three months.
The state-of-the-art laboratory features accelerated stress test and measurement equipment purchased with funds provided by the Technology Localisation and Implementation Unit (TLIU) and the CSIR.
The accelerated stress tests are designed to provoke real-world failure mechanisms in low-quality solar FV modules within a few months in the lab rather than over a few years in the field.
Common solar PV panel failures include
• Micro cracks in solar cells
• Backsheet delamination
• Encapsulant discolouration
• Moisture ingress through backsheet
• Safety failures from deficient insulation & sealing
• Bypass diode failures
Why solar PV stress testing in a laboratory is needed
The test protocols reduce the likelihood of costly FV module replacements in the future. Since these tests are specified during the procurement and contracting phase, suppliers will send only the best FV modules for installation at project sites.
In addition, the CSIR lab conducts research and testing for domestic and imported FV module manufacturers, module mounting hardware manufacturers, operations and maintenance service providers, and FV plant developers.
The test protocols help reduce the risk for FV investments by ensuring the solar system components are held to the highest standards based on international testing and acceptance protocols.
CSIR centre supports a host of solar R&D
The CSIR Energy Centre also conducts real-time research and development on FV systems based on several outdoor systems. In addition, the CSIR hosts 2MW of the grid-connected FV for self-consumption, enabling research on the actual performance of commercial-scale FV systems installed on single-axis trackers, dual-axis trackers, and fixed-tilt rooftop systems.
The research topics include FV plant performance monitoring and optimisation, outdoor performance monitoring of multiple FV technologies, system performance model verification, pre-feasibility studies, and defect detection and classification in electroluminescence images using the latest in machine learning architecture. ESI |
