Defect Analysis in Different Photovoltaic Modules Using Electroluminescence (EL) and Infrared (IR)-Thermography

Abstract

The large, quickly evolving PV production market requires fast and reliable characterisation tools for comparing different technologies. Faulty modules have to be sorted out accurately since they could lead to high power losses or cause safety problems after installation. The aim of this work was the comparison of different quality assurance methods for different module technologies (e.g. crystalline and thin film technologies). For a complete quality control of PV modules a combination of fast and non-destructive methods was investigated. It turned out that for a fast detection of the most common defects in a PV module with high resolution, a combination of EL and IR measurements is advisable.