An overview of SMUD'S outdoor photovoltaic test program at Arizona state university

B. Raghuraman, V. Lakshman, J. Kuitche, W. Shisler, G. Tamizhmani, H. Kapoor

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

29 Scopus citations

Abstract

In 2005, Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) increased the number of grid-connected PV systems to approximately 1050 leading to an installed capacity of over 10 MWac. As the only independent accredited design qualification laboratory in the United States, the Photovoltaic Testing Laboratory at Arizona State University (ASU-PTL) provides an independent performance data to SMUD verifying manufacturers' data. In addition to obtaining the initial performance data, this SMUD-ASU program conducts several reliability and durability evaluations through long-term outdoor testing and accelerated indoor testing. This reliability evaluation program provides information on the predicted performance degradation per year, expected seasonal performance fluctuation and susceptibility to known failure mechanisms. This paper presents and analyzes the results of outdoor tests conducted on 44 modules of three different PV technologies (mono-Si, poly-Si and a-Si) from eight different manufacturers over the exposure period of two to seven years.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationConference Record of the 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4
PublisherIEEE Computer Society
Pages2214-2216
Number of pages3
ISBN (Print)1424400163, 9781424400164
DOIs
StatePublished - 2006
Event2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4 - Waikoloa, HI, United States
Duration: May 7 2006May 12 2006

Publication series

NameConference Record of the 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4
Volume2

Other

Other2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityWaikoloa, HI
Period5/7/065/12/06

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Materials Chemistry

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