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On the metastability of silicon heterojunction solar photovoltaic modules

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Abstract

Silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar modules gained strong interest from solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturers and in the global market due to their high-efficiency potential. However, the presence of an amorphous silicon layer in SHJ structures raises concerns about their stability under light exposure. In this article, we compare the stability of SHJ modules to the stability of p-type and n-type homojunction monocrystalline silicon modules and of several thin-film PV technologies. The analysis is performed in intermediate precision conditions of measurement, where the same modules are measured indoors with the same measurement procedure, same location and equipment, and over an extended period of time, during which the modules are kept stored and not exposed to light. The results from all tested SHJ modules, which were also confirmed in reproducibility conditions, show a slow exponential degradation in the dark, which is fully recovered when the module is subsequently light-soaked. With this behavior, SHJ modules recall the metastability of certain thin-film technologies.

Impact statement

The relevance of solar PV energy in the global electricity generation mix is at the present time unquestionable and all energy outlooks now report PV as a key player in the next decades for the transition toward a decarbonized energy system. When transferred into the manufacturing and deployment phase, the ambitious solar PV targets meet, among others, the challenge of accurate and reliable power rating of the PV modules, for which differences of a fraction of a percent mean significant investment gains or losses for the manufacturers, investors, and final users. The factors that mainly affect the uncertainty of PV power rating in the production line are the accuracy in the calibration of the reference modules and their temporal stability. Among other PV technologies, SHJ, with an efficiency that now goes beyond 22% at the module level and is expected to increase further, is the fastest gaining in market share (estimated to hit 10% by 2024 and 20% by 2032). However, the observed “metastability” (i.e., the change of the electrical performance to a status with lower or higher stable power when the module is stored in the dark for a prolonged period of time), which is discussed in this article for commercial SHJ modules, although not affecting the field performance, may impact the production capacity and should be carefully addressed by SHJ module manufacturers, researchers, and testing laboratories.

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Data availability

The data sets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgments

SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is supported by NUS, the National Research Foundation Singapore (NRF), the Energy Market Authority of Singapore (EMA), and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).

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  1. Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Mauro Pravettoni & Amit Singh Rajput

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  1. Mauro Pravettoni
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Pravettoni, M., Rajput, A.S. On the metastability of silicon heterojunction solar photovoltaic modules. MRS Bulletin 48, 809–817 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1557/s43577-023-00475-x

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