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Research on Photovoltaic Modules and Devices

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "A2: Solar Energy and Photovoltaic Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 September 2026 | Viewed by 1907

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Dylan Colvin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Florida Solar Energy Center, University of Central Florida, Cocoa, FL 32922, USA
Interests: photovoltaics; reliability; characterization; electroluminescence imaging; contact degradation; accelerated stress testing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Photovoltaic (PV) technologies have evolved and expanded at unprecedented rates due to reduced cost, improved lifetimes, and higher efficiencies. Industry-wide goals of PV modules with 50-year lifetimes and module affordability from commercial to residential scales have driven a plethora of advancements in PV technologies. These include all components of the modules (such as module architecture, encapsulants, glass, backsheets, bypass diodes, connectors, and cell interconnection), cells (such as metallization, technology, and contacting schemes), and balance of systems (such as inverters, batteries, and clamps).

The growing use and variety of PV technologies across the globe has driven more research in areas of reliability, as there are many climates and types of weather events represented. A combination of multiscale characterization (material scale to system level) and lifetime testing (accelerated stress and field deployment) is required to ensure robust renewable energy is provided. PV is a crucial component of the renewable energy mix necessary for tackling climate change and improving quality of life through robust electrification and reduced pollution.

This Special Issue aims to present and disseminate the most recent research related to the application, assessment, improvement, and comparison of PV technologies.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

Impact of extreme weather events on PV performance and reliability.
Reliability studies from field modules, modules after accelerated stress testing, and comparisons between field and accelerated test results.
Novel characterization methods or novel applications of characterization methods to PV devices.
Alternative materials, module or cell technologies, cell metallization and interconnection schemes, or other alternative designs for PV modules or devices.
PV for alternative applications, including but not limited to vehicle-integrated PV (VIPV), building-integrated PV (BIPV), agrivoltaics, floating PV (FPV), and space PV.
Recycling PV modules.
Power electronics reliability insofar as its impact on module reliability is discussed.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Dylan Colvin
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

characterization
design
root cause analysis
reliability
new applications
alternative materials
extreme weather

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

30 pages, 5585 KB

Open AccessArticle

Techno-Economic Approach for the Analysis of Uniform Horizontal Shading on Photovoltaic Modules: A Comparative Study of Five Solar Sites in Mauritania

by Cheikh Malainine Mrabih Rabou, Ahmed Mohamed Yahya, Mamadou Lamine Samb, Kaan Yetilmezsoy, Shafqur Rehman, Christophe Ménézo and Abdel Kader Mahmoud

Energies 2026, 19(7), 1672; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19071672 - 29 Mar 2026

Viewed by 421

Abstract

Photovoltaic (PV) performance in desert environments is significantly hindered by soiling and partial shading. To bridge the gap in empirical data for extreme Saharan conditions, this study presents a novel techno-economic assessment of uniform horizontal shading (UHS) specifically conducted in Mauritania. Controlled outdoor experiments were performed using a 250 W crystalline silicon PV module and a PVPM 2540C I–V curve tracer, applying progressive shading levels from 2.5% to 20%. The novelty of this work lies in the integration of high-resolution experimental I–V/P–V characterization with a localized techno-economic model for five pre-commercial PV plants. It was observed that PV modules are exceptionally sensitive to shading; specifically, a mere 10% shaded area leads to a catastrophic 90% drop in power and current, while the voltage remains remarkably stable. Thermographic analysis further validates the thermal gradients and bypass diode functionality. By quantifying the financial impacts, this research highlights that cumulative economic losses across the five real-world sites reached 87.95%, exceeding 55,000 MRU. These findings provide a strategic framework for optimizing PV systems in arid terrains and offer a robust tool for enhancing the design and operation of large-scale solar applications in desert environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Photovoltaic Modules and Devices)

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19 pages, 2818 KB

Open AccessArticle

Reliability Analysis of Residential Photovoltaic Systems Across Five Climatic Zones: Performance, Degradation, and Fault Trends

by Mahmoud Dhimish, Romênia Vieira and Peter Behrensdorff Poulsen

Energies 2025, 18(23), 6125; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18236125 - 22 Nov 2025

Viewed by 1030

Abstract

This study analyses the long-term reliability of 100 residential PV systems monitored for 7–11 years across 33 countries and five climate zones. System performance was evaluated using the temperature-corrected performance ratio (

{P R}_{T c o r r}

), following IEC 61724-1, [...] Read more.

{P R}_{T c o r r}

), following IEC 61724-1, while annual degradation rates were calculated using RdTools, which separates long-term trends from interannual variability. Inverter and MPPT reliability were assessed through a defined fault-likelihood metric, representing the percentage of time the measured AC or DC power fell more than 15% below the manufacturer-reported expected power for at least two consecutive intervals. The results show a strong association between climate conditions and system performance. Mediterranean climates record the highest

{P R}_{T c o r r}

(0.84 ± 0.02), while desert regions show the lowest values (0.73 ± 0.04). Annual degradation rates range from −0.69 ± 0.15%/year in Mediterranean climates to −3.13 ± 0.64%/year in desert climates. Inverter fault likelihood is highest in desert regions (4.05%) and lowest in temperate climates (1.5%), while MPPT fault likelihood ranges from 10.25% in desert zones to 5.4% in Mediterranean zones. By integrating

{P R}_{T c o r r}

, long-term degradation trends, and inverter/MPPT fault behavior within a cross-climate framework, the study provides an evidence-based understanding of how environmental stressors shape PV system reliability. Full article