For PV modules to fulfill their intended purpose, they must generate sufficient economic return over their lifetime to
justify their initial cost. Not only must modules be manufactured at a low cost/Wp with a high energy yield (kWh/kWp),
they must also be designed to withstand the significant environmental stresses experienced throughout their 25+ year
lifetime. Based on field experience, the most common factors affecting the lifetime energy yield of glass-based
amorphous silicon (a-Si) modules have been identified; these include: 1) light-induced degradation; 2) moisture ingress
and thin film corrosion; 3) transparent conductive oxide (TCO) delamination; and 4) glass breakage. The current
approaches to mitigating the effect of these degradation mechanisms are discussed and the accelerated tests designed to
simulate some of the field failures are described. In some cases, novel accelerated tests have been created to facilitate
the development of improved manufacturing processes, including a unique test to screen for TCO delamination.
Modules using the most reliable designs are tested in high voltage arrays at customer and internal test sites, as well as at
independent laboratories. Data from tests at the Florida Solar Energy Center has shown that a-Si tandem modules can
demonstrate an energy yield exceeding 1200 kWh/kWp/yr in a subtropical climate. In the same study, the test arrays
demonstrated low long-term power loss over two years of data collection, after initial stabilization. The absolute power
produced by the test arrays varied seasonally by approximately ±7%, as expected.
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