Optimising PV Research Infrastructures in Europe: Lessons learned from the SOPHIA Project

Philippe Malbranche, Project Coordinator, INES General Director, philippe.malbranche@cea.fr

+ F. Bergeron, J. Merten, B. Assoa, E. Gerritsen, M. Albaric, R. Varache, G. Razongles, S. Cros (CEA-INES, France), G. Siefer, M. Koehl, M. Schubert, W. Warta, S. Misara, W. Sprenger (Fraunhofer ISE & IWES, Germany), I. Bennett, J. Kroon (ECN, The Netherlands), I. Gordon (IMEC, Belgium), S. Gevorgyan (DTU, Denmark), N Taylor, A. Pozza (JRC, Italy), I. Lauermann, V. Hinrichs, M. Schmid (HZB, Germany), J. Huepkes, Y. Augarten (FZ Jülich, Germany), I. Anton (UPM, Spain), F. Aleo, P.M. Pugliatti (ENEL, Italy), F. Paletta (RSE, Italy), R. Gottschalg, T. Betts (CREST, United Kingdom), F. Roca (ENEA, Italy), S. Rousu, J. Hast (VTT, Finland), T. Pettersen, M. Juel (SINTEF), S Zamini, K. Berger (AIT, Austria), P. Basso (EPIA, Belgium), G. Arrowsmith, V. Valente (EUREC, Belgium), E. Roman, P. Cano, O. Zubillaga (TECNALIA, Spain), D. Craciun (DERLAB, Germany).

Content

1.  Description ●  Context and motivation

●  Scope

●  Consortium

●  Objectives and activities

2.  Main outcomes ●  Transnational access activities

●  Joint research activities

●  Networking activities

3. Main lessons learned and conclusions

2

Context and Motivation

3

Many PV research infrastructures exist all over Europe: •  Some are unique: BESSY3 (HZB, Berlin), super computer (FZ Jülich) •  Some are quite similar: PV module test facilities

This project was the first to promote on a large-scale an increased coordination in order to: 1.  avoid unintended duplication 2.  avoid unnecessary investment. 3.  get more value out of the same budgets. « Working together to

progress faster or to learn more » : •  Benchmarking of characterisation methods, •  Validation with a larger number of data to increase the confidence level

Joining forces to offer better services for researchers

from academia and industry

Scope of activities

● The project focuses on 8 topics covering the whole value chain: •  Silicon material •  Thin films and TCOs •  Organic PV •  Modelling •  CPV •  BIPV •  PV Module lifetime •  PV module and system performance

● A link to the EERA PV Joint Programme is organised through: •  Many common partners

•  Four topics are also addressed within EERA

4

Funding scheme : Integrating Activities

Duration : 48 months

EU financial contribution : 9 M€

Starting date : February 2011

The consortium: 20 Partners

● 17 research organisations, 3 associations for information exchange

5

The consortium: 20 Partners

● 17 research organisations, 3 associations for information exchange

6

WPL

WPL WPL

WPL COORD

WPL

A dedicated website : www.sophia-ri.eu

7

Two main project objectives

1.  Access of European researchers to a portfolio of laboratories and test facilities,

2.  Coordination of partners from academia and research institutes in order to address some specific challenges.

8

Coordinated set of facilities (mainly

characterisation and modelling)

Outstanding facilities (lab, characterisation

tools)

Training

Three types of activities

1.  Transnational Access Activities: Free-of-charge transnational access for researchers, through a single entry point

2.  Joint Research Activities: Upgrade and improvement of the services of PV RIs

3.  Networking Activites for coordination and joint development of the RIs

9

1. Listing existing Ris Equipment, procedures

2. Increasing coordination Benchmarking, RoundRobin, improved procedures

3. Developing joint strategy

As a driver towards an increased coordination :

Outline

1.  Description ●  Context and motivation

●  Scope

●  Consortium

●  Objectives

2.  Main outcomes ●  Transnational access activities

●  Joint research activities

●  Networking activities

3. Conclusions

10

Trans-national Access Activities results (TNA)

●  Objective: provide free of charge and open access to 48 research infrastructures offering various services: •  Prototyping

•  Better characterisation of materials and innovative technologies,

•  Performance characterisation and lifetime prediction of PV modules

•  Modelling

11

Offering free access European PV RI

12

Transnational access activities outcomes

● 8 calls for research proposals organised ● Since January 2012 ● Last call still open

● 56 proposals submitted in total

13

+

TNA: Evaluation / selection / hosting

● 40 TNA access granted:

● 3 cancelled by applicant

● 14 planned or in planning stage

● 13 currently running

● 10 finalised

14

Host  infrastructure  

#  projects  to  be  hosted  

(planning  stage)  

#  projects  hosted  

(ongoing  or  done)   #  

HZB   1   4   5  

Fraunhofer-­‐ISE   3   2   5  IES-­‐UPM   4   4  CREST   3   1   4  Jülich     3   3    DTU     3   3  CEA-­‐INES   3   3  Tecnalia   2   2  ENEA   2   2  SINTEF   2   2  IMEC   1   1  AIT   1   1  ECN   1   1  RSE   1   1  Enel     0  EC  JRC   0  VTT     0  

total:   14   23   37  

TNA: example 1

● “cSiPID” proposal = “Indoor and outdoor monitoring of potential-induced degradation and recovery of conventional crystalline silicon photovoltaics” ● Topic: PV Module lifetime ● Call 6 ● Proposed by: Cyprus University ● Host: AIT

● Objectives ●  investigate the correlation between indoor and

outdoor PID ● assess the capability of the environmental

chamber test to predict which of the different module designs show durability in the field

● verify the crucial role of the ARC-SixNy in the PID process

15

TNA: example 2

● “DUSOP” = “Thermal and Spectral Dependence of Dual Silicone Optics”

● Topic: CPV

● Call # 5

● Proposed by: Fullsun Photovoltaics Ltd (UK)

● Hosting RI: IES-UPM

● experimentation

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Joint Research Activities

●  Objectives: to improve and optimise the services provided by the research infrastructures.

●  Work focused on four topics: 1.  Greater accuracy of rated power and energy output prediction of

PV modules & systems 2.  Quicker lifetime prediction of PV modules though accelerated

ageing tests and improved failure analysis procedures 3.  Improved Material characterisation procedures dedicated to:

1.  silicon material, 2.  thin films and TCOs, 3.  and organic solar cells

4.  Improvement and validation of software infrastructure for material, cell, module and system modelling

17

Previous Round Robin results

● In 2006 10 labs Worldwide ● In 2008-2009 7 European labs ● 2009-2011 – 9 Asian labs

18

+3%

-3%

At LIC TC

18.3%

Measurement deviation in Pmax

At STC

• 2013-2014 – 11 European labs

Results presented at 29th EUPVSEC, 5DO9.3 paper

Current measurements at STC

19

Conclusions/Recommendations - Nominal Module Power (29th EUPVSEC, 5DO.9.3)

A wide spectrum of lessons learned • Hardware

–  Include spectrum measurements for the outdoor MMF correction procedure. –  Improve the Homogeneity of irradiance of the solar simulator. –  Some partners need to acquire additional hardware for LIC measurements. –  Incorporate an active temperature control for the DUT outdoors. –  Set up or improve a spectral response measurement system for modules. –  Change the measurement load and reduce the random error at LIC current

measurements • Software:

–  Use only the raw data from the measurements and feed it in to a software with different fitting options for parameter extraction and corrections.

• Methodology and procedures –  Implement procedures for LIC outdoors. –  Improve the temperature control outdoors. –  Increase the number of measurement that are average to minimise the random error. –  Perform multi-flash measurement mode for all the technologies –  Develop procedures for LIC measurements that minimise hysteresis.

• Uncertainty analysis: –  Most partners have uncertainties that are either underestimated or overestimated

Improvements required –  mitigating the capacitive effects

20 20

Quicker lifetime prediction though accelerated ageing tests and improved failure analysis

•  Portfolio of testing infrastructure at the partner institutes –  Additional advanced characterisation techniques for following module degradation –  Additional tests including PID, combined UV and DH and dynamic-mechanical loading

•  Collaboration between institutes has made an extensive test plan possible with 15 accelerated tests beyond IEC61215

–  Tested on commercial modules with three different technologies –  Comparison of test and characterisation procedures at the different institutes

21

Results (29th EUPVSEC, 5DO.11.4)

• Modelling of results and proposal for quality assurance test sequence –  QA test sequence designed to allow determination of activation energies, –  relationship to climate and expected lifetime in the field

22

Remaining WCPEC 6 presentations

related to the SOPHIA project :

Wednesday Nov 26th : 7WePo10.5

Thursday Nov 27th :7ThO.3.3

Outline

1.  Description ●  Context and motivation

●  Scope

●  Consortium

●  Objectives

2.  Main outcomes ●  Transnational access activities

●  Joint research activities

●  Networking activities

3. Conclusions

23

Networking activities: Objectives and results (1/3)

Objectives : •  Defining common objectives per each topic •  Benchmarking and developing common procedures for testing and characterising

PV materials, modules and systems, •  Performing training and exchange activities for all European scientists (summer

universities, exchanges

Results : ● 18 networking seminars and workshops

● 10 common databases ●  Sets of measurement data and test results: ●  Listing of test- and analysis capabilities:TNA infrastructures, TCO test facilities,

PV systems and smartgrid test facilities, PV module test equipment, accelerated ageing test procedures, silicon imaging techniques

● Overviews of modelling tools

●  Test procedures and standards ●  Proposals of common testing procedures, and recommended best practices, ●  Contributions to IEC TC82 WG2 & WG7

24

Networking activities: results (2/3)

●  Staff exchange ●  Training courses and summer schools

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●  E-learning platform: “SOPHi@Webinar”

q  21 webinars organised since March 2013 §  Around 2-3 events/month organized

q  570 participants in total (+ 60 in streaming) §  Majority of non-SOPHIA members

q  Information on all courses available on the Sophia “events” web page §  http://www.sophia-ri.eu/news-events/news/

q  Several pdf presentations of workshops and webinars (pdf, video) are available on-line on Sophia Events pages.

Networking activities results (3/3): Writing of a Strategic Research Infrastructure Agenda

Six types of research infrastructures, all along the PV value chain

Material and equipment suppliers

Cell / Module manufacturers

System providers, installers

Integrated energy services, citizen

New materials, New process

High throughput processes

Integration (grid, buildings, cities), reliability

Power and yield prediction, management strategies, diagnosis

Investors

PV

val

ue

chai

n R

esea

rch

activ

ities

Networking activities results (3/3): Writing of a Strategic Research Infrastructure Agenda

Six types of research infrastructures, all along the PV value chain

1. Outstanding facilities (lab, characterisation

tools)

3. A network of various pilot lines for yield

demonstration

4. A global quality and reliability PV infrastructure

5. E-infrastructure for large-scale

management of PV systems

2. Coordinated set of facilities (mainly modelling and

characterisation)

6. Training all along the PV value chain

Material and equipment suppliers

Cell / Module manufacturers

System providers, installers

Integrated energy services, citizen

New materials, New process

High throughput processes

Integration (grid, buildings, cities), reliability

Power and yield prediction, management strategies, diagnosis

Investors

PV

val

ue

chai

n R

esea

rch

activ

ities

R

esea

rch

infra

stru

ctur

es

Content

1.  Description ●  Context and motivation

●  Scope

●  Consortium

●  Objectives and activities

2.  Main outcomes ●  Transnational access activities

●  Joint research activities

●  Networking activities

3. Main lessons learned and conclusions

28

RI Coordination

Researcher training & mobility

Programation activities

Sustainability Support to innovation

Characteris-ation

procedures

Data management

Actions for sharing and mutualizing research infrastructures

RI Coordination

Researcher training & mobility

Programation activities

Sustainability Support to innovation

Characteris-ation

procedures

Data management

Actions for sharing and mutualizing research infrastructures

RI Coordination

Researcher training & mobility

Programation activities

Sustainability Support to innovation

Characteris-ation

procedures

Data management

Increased efficiency

providing better value

for a given budget

Actions for sharing and mutualizing research infrastructures

Review of existing situation

Action plan &

Strategic roadmap

Dissemination & Exploitation

Capacity building - Short term - Middle term - Long term

Suggestion of a generic action plan

Review of existing situation

Action plan

&

Strategic roadmap

Dissemination & Exploitation

Capacity building Harmonisation of characterization

practices

Benchmarking

Labelling / Regulation

Suggestion of an action plan in the field of photovoltaics

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1.  Reviewing  our  Research  Infrastructures

2.  Increasing  our  coordinaPon

3.  Developing  joint  strategies

4.  CollaboraPng  on  selected  topics

-  Iden*fying  current  facili*es  and  equipment

-  Surveying  characterisa*on  procedures

-  Lis*ng  of  ongoing  projects

-  Benchmarking  and  organisa*on  of  Round  Robin  tests

-  Understanding  the  various  criteria  for  improved  characterisa*on

-  Valida*ng  test  procedures  and  characterisa*on  methods

-­‐  Elabora*ng  a  roadmap -­‐  develop  joint  ac*on  plans -­‐  Do  some  lobbying:  at  EC  at  country  levels  on  priority  topics  and  ac*ons

-­‐  Dedicated  scien*fic  and  technological  projects  ,  when  sufficient  resources  become  available

Detailed actions in the field of photovoltaics

Review of the various solar RIs

Increased coordination

Development of Joint Action Plans

Collaboration on selected topics

Last suggestion : enlarge existing European collaboration

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Overall conclusions

•  This project provided the opportunity for a better coordination, following a three step approach : 1.  Listing RIs, by identifying current facilities, equipment

and characterisation procedures 2.  Organising Round Robin tests and validating

characterisation methods 3.  Developing joint strategies & roadmaps

10 databases

5 Round Robins + 1 large test plan

18 Workshops + webinars

• This first-of-its-kind project has gradually been gaining momentum (webinars, TNAs, ..), and it sets the basis for more in-depth collaboration

•  Many results to be disseminated: Ø  10 presentations at 29th EUPVSEC Ø  5 presentations at WCPEC 6

• The “Research Infrastructure” concept has to be enlarged to cover the needs of all European researchers.

• It may also be enlarged to additional neighbouring countries

Thank you for your attention … …. And coming next week: January 22nd, 2015

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as part of the SOPHIA final event:

A Symposium on European PV Research

Infrastructures ● January 22nd, 2015

● at CEA-INES in Chambéry (France)

● What are the main achievements of the SOPHIA project ?

● How to keep European R&D at world-class level?

● What is the best way to support innovation in the PV industry?

● Should PV research infrastructure for quality & reliability be linked worldwide?

● Can Big Data bring big advantages in the area of solar PV system operation ?

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