New qualification test procedures for concentrator photovoltaic modules and assemblies

This paper describes proposed new international CPV (Concentrator Photovoltaics) standard IEC 62108 Draft 8d which include: 1) new test-sequence charts that allow for the separation of samples to conduct on-site witness and in-lab testing; 2) using smaller representative samples to replace the full-size samples that are often too large to fit into testing chambers or result in expensive qualification testing programs; 3) providing several maximum temperature limit options for thermal-cycling tests to accommodate module designs that use different plastic materials; 4) adding an electric, current cycle to the thermal-cycling test so that integrated modules can operate simultaneously at low temperature, to stress optical parts, and at high temperatures, to stress cell designs; and 5) selecting a type passing criterion that does not allow significant power degradation, within the measurement repeatability range for the outdoor exposure test, because it is not an accelerated lifetime test.