Distinguishing between different types of multi‐layered PET‐based backsheets of PV modules with near‐infrared spectroscopy. (10th November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Stroyuk, Oleksandr; Buerhop‐Lutz, Claudia; Vetter, Andreas; Hepp, Johannes; Hauch, Jens; Peters, Ian Marius; Brabec, Christoph J.
• Is Part Of: Progress in photovoltaics. Volume 30:Number 8(2022)
• Page Start: 859
• Page End: 868
• Publication Date: 2021-11-10
• Subjects: multispectral Raman imaging -- polyethylene terephtalate -- principal component analysis -- PV module backsheets -- spectral characterization; Solar cells -- Periodicals; Photovoltaic cells -- Periodicals; Solar power plants -- Periodicals; 621.31245
• DOI: 10.1002/pip.3465
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1062-7995

Abstract

Abstract: Degradation of backsheets (BSs) of commercial silicon PV modules is currently recognized as a source of reduced module performance and module failure. Monitoring of the BS state in the field is possible by using non‐destructive and highly informative near‐infrared absorption (NIRA) spectroscopy. Application of NIRA for the analysis of multi‐layer polyethylene terephtalate (PET) based BSs, which dominate the PV module market, is challenging due to a large variety of possible BS configurations that show only small differences in NIRA spectra. In the present work, a spectroscopic tool for the structural identification of PET‐based BSs is introduced. The method is based on a principal component analysis of a database of 250 representative NIRA spectra of BSs of different types. It allows a BS with an unknown structure to be assigned to one of 12 different types based solely on its NIRA spectrum. The identification was successfully validated on a test collection of 45 selected BSs and shown to be feasible for the field deployment. Further automation of NIRA measurements and spectral analysis are expected to elevate the proposed tool to the level of a non‐intrusive high‐throughput field analysis of the BS composition and state in operating PV module grids. Abstract : A spectroscopic tool for the identification of polyethylene terephtalate (PET)‐based PV module backsheets (BSs) is introduced. The tool is based on a multivariate analysis of a database of near‐infrared absorption (NIRA) spectra of representative BSs of different types and can be used for non‐invasive field determination of the composition and structure of PET‐based BSs.