Analysis of Degradation in two Photovoltaic Installations, Located in Porto Alegre, Brazil

• Autor(a) principal: Fonseca, José Eduardo Ferreira da
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Oliveira, Fernando Schuck de, Prieb, César Wilhelm Massen, Krenzinger, Arno
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: The Journal of Engineering and Exact Sciences
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.ufv.br/jcec/article/view/14670
• topic: Photovoltaics. I-V Curve Testing. Degradation.; Energia Solar Fotovoltaica. Curva I-V. Degradação.

At the same time that the growth of solar photovoltaic energy reaches hundreds of gigawatts installed around the world, the reliability of the modules can be a key factor to maintain the viability of the technology. This work describes the state of two photovoltaic installations located at LABSOL (Laboratory of Solar Energy at UFRGS). The first installation has been in operation for fifteen years and the most recent for three years. To carry out this evaluation some techniques are applied such as the records of visual inspections, electroluminescence images, thermographic analyzes and mostly results of the electrical characterization of the behavior of the I-V curve, thus revealing the degradation of the modules. Despite the damage revealed in this work, it can be said that the systems continue to operate within expectations. The rate of power degradation for the oldest system was 0.7% per year in the three-year installation, a minimal visual effect of the action of the environment was observed, resulting in a rate of degradation of 0.85% per year.