Faculty of Electrical Engineering

J2-7105

Photovoltaic cell and module inhomogenity analysis and performance monitoring in power plants through lifetime

1.1.2016 - 31.12.2018

1,88 FTE

Marko Topič

Engineering

link to Sicris

The research project focuses on determination and characterisation of inhomogeneities in photovoltaic (PV) modules. The goal of the project is to develop a methodology and simulation models of different inhomogeneities, investigate their behaviour during the lifetime of a PV module and predict their influence on the energy yield of the PV system.

link to Sicris

The project is organized in five work packages:

• WP 1: Determination and classification of inhomogeneities (M1-M24)
• WP 2: Long term monitoring and analyses of inhomogeneities (M6-M30)
• WP 3: Determination and evaluation of manufacturing or environmentally induced inhomogeneities (M6-M30)
• WP 4: Modelling and simulations of inhomogeneities (M12-M30)
• WP 5: Energy yield prediction modelling (M30-M36)

Scientific Articles

• BRECL, Kristijan, PIRC, Matija, MORELJ, Dorijan, BOKALIČ, Matevž, TOPIČ, Marko; PV Module Behavior on the Substring Level under Real Conditions Monitored by Junction Box Electronic Device Jubomer. (Poslano v objavo v Renewable Energy, Jan 2019)
• BRECL, Kristijan, BARRETTA, Chiara, ORESKI, Gernot, MALIČ, Barbara, TOPIČ, Marko. The influence of the EVA film aging on the degradation behavior of PV modules under high voltage bias in wet conditions followed by electroluminescence. IEEE journal of photovoltaics, Jan. 2019, vol. 9, no. 1, str. 259-265. doi.
• BOKALIČ, Matevž, GERBER, Andreas, PIETERS, Bart E., RAU, Uwe, TOPIČ, Marko. Bandgap fluctuations observed by EL in various Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)2 PV modules. IEEE journal of photovoltaics, ISSN 2156-3381, 1 Jan. 2018, vol. 8, no. 1, str. 272-277. doi.
• BEDRICH, Karl, BOKALIČ, Matevž, BLISS, Martin, TOPIČ, Marko, BETTS, Thomas R., GOTTSCHLAG, Ralph. Electroluminescence imaging of PV devices: advanced vignetting calibration. IEEE journal of photovoltaics, ISSN 2156-3381, Sep. 2018, vol. 8, no. 5, str. 1297-1304. doi.
• KIRN, Blaž, TOPIČ, Marko. Diffuse and direct light solar spectra modeling in PV module performance rating. Solar energy, ISSN 0038-092X. [Print ed.], 1 Jul. 2017, vol. 150, str. 310-316. doi.
• BRECL, Kristijan, BOKALIČ, Matevž, TOPIČ, Marko. Examination of photovoltaic silicon module degradation under high-voltage bias and damp heat by electroluminescence. Journal of solar energy engineering : Transactions of the ASME, ISSN 0199-6231, Jun. 2017, vol. 139, no. 3, str. 1-6. doi.
• BOKALIČ, Matevž, PIETERS, Bart E., GERBER, Andreas, RAU, Uwe, TOPIČ, Marko. Bandgap imaging in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 photovoltaic modules by electroluminescence. Progress in photovoltaics : research and applications, ISSN 1062-7995, Feb. 2017, vol. 25, no. 2, str. 184-191. doi.
• JANKOVEC, Marko, GALLIANO, Federico, ANNIGONI, Eleonora, LI, Heng Yu, SCULATI-MEILLAUD, Fanny, PERRET-AEBI, Laure-Emmanuelle, BALLIF, Christophe, TOPIČ, Marko. In-situ monitoring of moisture ingress in PV modules using digital humidity sensors. IEEE journal of photovoltaics, Sep. 2016, vol. 6, no. 5, str. 1152-1159. doi.

Invited Lectures

• KIRN, Blaž, TOPIČ, Marko. Degradation and reliability in PV performance model for accurate PV system analysis and forecasting. Photovoltaics-Module Reliability Workshop.

Conference Contributions

• BOKALIČ, Matevž, BRECL, Kristijan, TOPIČ, Marko. Multi-imaging of PV module inhomogeneities in 17 kW PV power plant and mutual correlations. 35th EU PVSEC 2018, str. 1269-1272.
• BRECL, Kristijan, BOKALIČ, Matevž, BARRETTA, Chiara, ORESKI, Gernot, MALIČ, Barbara, TOPIČ, Marko. The influence of the EVA film quality on the degradation of PV modules under harsh test conditions. 35th EU PVSEC 2018, str. 1277-1279.
• MITTERHOFER, Stefan, JANKOVEC, Marko, TOPIČ, Marko. Using UV LEDs for PV module aging and degradation study. 35th EU PVSEC 2018, str. 1323-1327.
• MITTERHOFER, Stefan, JANKOVEC, Marko, TOPIČ, Marko. One- and two-dimensional finite element analysis of humidity ingress in polymeric materials. 54th MIDEM 2018, str. 93-98.
• BRECL, Kristijan, BOKALIČ, Matevž, TOPIČ, Marko. PV silicon module degradation under high positive voltage bias. 33rd EU PVSEC 2017, str. 1667-1670.
• BOKALIČ, Matevž, BRECL, Kristijan, TOPIČ, Marko. Imaging inspection system and methodology for evaluation of inhomogeneities in PV modules - a case of multicrystalline silicon.  EU PVSEC 2017, str. 1682-1685.
• JANKOVEC, Marko, MORELJ, Dorijan, BRECL, Kristijan, BOKALIČ, Matevž, TOPIČ, Marko. A scalable wireless system for monitoring of PV modules on a substring level. 33rd EU PVSEC 2017.
• BOKALIČ, Matevž, KIMOVEC, Rok, SITES, James R., TOPIČ, Marko. Phantom inhomogeneities in CdTe PV devices as seen by electroluminescence. 2017 NREL Photovoltaic Reliability Workshop, Lakewood, Colorado, USA.
• MITTERHOFER, Stefan, JANKOVEC, Marko, TOPIČ, Marko. A setup for in-situ measurements of potential and UV induced degradation of PV modules inside a climatic chamber. 53rd MIDEM 2017, str. 65-70.
• BOKALIČ, Matevž, KIMOVEC, Rok, SITES, James R., TOPIČ, Marko. Temperature dependence of extremely bright EL inhomogeneities in CdTe PV devices. EU PVSEC 2016, str. 1219-1222.
• KIRN, Blaž, TOPIČ, Marko. Combining solar irradiance databases and PV performance model for PV system performance analysis. EU PVSEC 2016, str. 1660-1664.

Patents

• BOKALIČ, Matevž, TOPIČ, Marko, PIETERS, Bart E., GERBER, Andreas, RAU, Uwe. Method and device for the determination of a measure of band gaps at optoelectronic components: PCT/EP2016/080910 - 2016-12-14.