Abstract

In this work, a detailed analysis is performed on failure/degradation modes identified in 95 solar photovoltaic modules located in small-scale domestic PV power plants operating in the Atacama Desert, Chile. The data used was collected in a previous work via visual inspection, thermal imaging and electrical characterization of the I-V curve. Additionally, in-field data is complemented with the global trends identified in the sample universe, together with a theoretical analysis about the possible failure/degradation mechanisms involved. As a result, eight different anomalies were identified and described: soiling, hotspots, delamination, front cover glass discoloration, partial shading, cell fracture, faulty soldering and PID. The most common anomalies were soiling and hotspots, being the highest cell temperature around 100°C. With this information, possible failure/degradation mechanisms were inferred, as well as the influence of the local environment on module components, which may be involved in degradation and the occurrence of failures. This work constitutes a first effort to characterize small-scale domestic PV solutions in extreme Chilean desert conditions.