The Silicon Energy module proved to be the most durable module for power performance and extreme terrestrial environmental applications compared to the other modules tested by NREL.

1. DURABLE
SUSTAINABLE
Beautiful
THE SILICON ENERGY DIFFERENCE
national renewable energy
laboratory (nrel)
Performance & Reliability Research and Development,
National Center for Photovoltaics
“Test-to-Failure of Crystalline Silicon Modules”
The Silicon Energy module proved to be the most durable
module for power performance and extreme terrestrial
environmental applications compared to the other modules
tested by NREL.
About the test: Silicon Energy’s Cascade Series V1 summary: The testing results yielded failures in standard
was one of six crystalline silicon module designs tested modules: moisture penetration leading to delamination,
by NREL according to the Terrestrial Photovoltaic Mod- material degradation and corrosion; severe cell shunting;
ule Accelerated Test-to-Failure Protocol. This protocol backsheet cracking; Potential Induced Degradation (PID);
compares the reliability of various module construc- and failed performance. Failure modes for standard
tions on a quantitative basis. The modules under test modules are shown on the following page.
were subjected to three accelerated lifetime test paths:
1) 85 C/85% humidity with system bias, 2) thermal Silicon energy advantage: The Silicon Energy module
cycling between -40 C and 85 C, and 3) a path that proved to be the most durable in terms of maintaining
alternates betweem damp heat and thermal cycling. The performance compared to the other module designs from
NREL test was designed to provide comparative durabil- five of the top-twenty PV module manufacturers by MW
ity, reliability and performance results between different sold in 2010 per the NREL report. Silicon Energy’s
PV module technologies that is presently not provided module was the only module tested with no failure modes
by module certification testing under the UL1703 PV under accelerated test scenarios! The thermal image of
certification. the Silicon Energy module is outstanding when compared
to standard modules.

2. RESULTS:
These images illustrate the signifi-
cant differences in how a standard
module and the Silicon Energy
module performed in the NREL test-
ing. A consistent color indicates a
healthy, fully functioning module.
Standard PV Module
Black spots in electroluminescence
images indicate damaged cells
resulting in performance loss.
Inconsistencies in the thermal
image indicates heat build-up and
Photo images Electroluminescence Thermal images hot spots in the module caused by
images failure modes such as corrosion,
delamination, cracking, and shunt-
ing. The images of the standard
module were taken at approximately
18-years (simulated).
Silicon Energy
The Silicon Energy module showed
no measureable performance
degradation.
Comments from the NREL report: The result of Silicon Energy’s “design choices imply a low rate of moisture ingress
to the cells compared to modules with polymeric back sheet and an estimated two order of magnitude greater electrical
isolation of the internal cell circuitry compared to” standard modules. The Silicon Energy module “proved to be the most
durable module for power performance.” The results of this testing “suggest favorable consideration of this module design
for the most extreme terrestrial environmental applications compared to the other designs tested.”
and the innovation continues: Silicon
Energy’s Next Generation Cascade Series PV
Module and Mounting System builds off of the
results and knowledge gained from NREL’s testing
providing you with a module with outstanding
reliability and durability, a Class-A fire rated
product with a 30-year warranty. It’s a module
designed to last! Corrosion Backsheet cracking
Standard module failure modes shown above
References:
Test-to-Failure of Crystalline Silicon Modules Report of results for Silicon Energy Model SiE170, Peter Silicon Energy, LLC
Hacke, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, November, 12, 2012 3506 124th Street NE
Marysville, WA 98271 USA
Using Accelerated Testing To Predict Module Reliability Tel: 360-618-6500
John H. Wohlgemuth and Sarah Kurtz, Presented at the 37th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists
Conference , June 19-24, 2011
Silicon Energy MN, LLC
System Voltage Potential Induced Degradation Mechanisms in PV Modules PO Box 376
and Methods for Test, Peter Hacke, Kent Terwilliger, Ryan Smith, 8787 Silicon Way
Stephen Glick, Joel Pankow, Michael Kempe, Mt. Iron, MN 55768 USA
and Sarah Kurtz, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Ian Bennett and Mario Kloos. Energy Tel: 218-789-1710
Research Centre of the Netherlands, Presented at the 37th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists
Conference , June 19-24, 2011
Crystalline Silicon Modules
Peter Hacke, Kent Terwilliger, Steven Glick, David Trudell, Nick Bosco, Steve Johnston,and Sarah
Kurtz, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Presented at the 35th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, June 20-25, 2010 Revision 02012013