Medium-voltage (MV) PV power plant technology is part of the PV EVERYWHERE strategy. This strategy makes it possible to reduce power plant costs by reducing the number of cables and their cross-sections, and by making the infrastructure easier to operate. To make these savings possible, resistant MV modules up to 9 kV are needed.
The objectives of this project are: (i) to develop a physical model to account for the degradation of PV modules as a function of voltage levels during operation, (ii) to define test protocols for PV module materials to provide input data for the models, (iii) to manufacture a PV module resistant to PID degradation.
The project will start with the development of test protocols to feed the ion transport models that will enable us to describe the expected degradation modes as a function of module composition. The simulation results will be used to test possible solutions and identify suitable materials, leading to the manufacture of a module resistant to MV up to 9 kV.