Solar panels manufactured by REC and supplied by Solahart Industries
have been tested to be free from the effects of performance-inhibiting
potential-induced degradation (PID).
PID is caused by factors such as high voltage, humidity and
temperatures, and can impact the performance of solar panels, resulting in sharp
drops in power output. Considered one of the most serious threats to the
performance of a solar power plant, PID issues are location and climate
dependent, and can greatly impair system performance and significantly reduce
project profitability.
Testing conducted by the Solar Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS)
has confirmed that solar panels manufactured by REC are PID-free. SERIS
analysed randomly selected current models of REC panels alongside several Tier
1 Chinese polycrystalline solar panels under accelerated PID conditions. Each
panel was subjected to a test in line with the technical specifications of IEC
for PID and endorsed by the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
The panels were tested at SERIS for 96 hours at 60°C temperature and 85 percent
relative humidity, with a negative voltage bias of -1000 volts.
REC panels passed the tests without showing any PID effects after flash
testing. All but one of the competing panels displayed significant degradation,
with certain panels experiencing as much as a 50 percent loss in power output.
REC attributes the excellent PID results to its smart panel design and
proprietary material and process enhancements implemented at its fully
automated state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Singapore as well as
stringent internal qualification testing.
According to Cemil Seber, Director of Product Marketing and Global
Expansion for REC, many solar companies can only claim that some of their
panels do not have PID issues under certain conditions. However, REC guarantees
that each and every one of its panels is 100 percent PID-free in all climate conditions.
He added that the test results from SERIS as well as real-world field
data confirm that REC panels can be counted on for high-performance output over
the life of the system.
