Stability and Performance of Photovoltaics (STAPP)

光化学性能的定义通常仅限于效率。然而，这一数字并不表明系统组件可靠性、模块稳定性或系统设计的适当平衡等关键问题，所有这些问题在确定可用性方面的性能方面都起着至关重要的作用。主要指标是平准化能源成本（LCOE）。对这一点以及光伏技术的可行性的主要影响不仅在于材料科学，而且还在于系统的长期行为方式以及预测其行为的不确定性。基于实验室的材料科学和LCOE之间的联系知之甚少，揭示了科学知识的空白，这将由该项目填补。主要成果是提高了对在不同气候带部署光生物技术潜力的认识。LCOE中最大的未知因素是：对光伏组件稳定性和长期性能的理解;如何描述整体系统性能;以及寿命期能源产量预测的不确定性。这是至关重要的，特别是对于较新的薄膜技术，已被证明是更可变的退化，并经常遭受系统组件的不适当的平衡。与薄膜和晶体硅器件制造商的密切合作将确保这些方面得到适当的覆盖。将开发新的测量和建模方法，用于预测模块的寿命能量产量，并根据在不同气候带收集的实际数据进行验证。这将导致加速测试程序的开发。不确定性计算将能够识别并最大限度地减少这种情况，从而降低LCOE。采用整体系统方法，特别关注不同逆变器在不同气候条件下的影响以及现有网络基础设施对能源性能的影响。该项目的核心是模型的开发及其验证，所有这些都集中在预测寿命能量产量上。将利用新技术开展一项测量活动，以更好地监测模块的长期行为。将开发详细的空间分辨技术，并将其与基于有限元的模型相联系。这样就可以将改进的加速测试的开发与真实的环境联系起来。这些模型将根据在各种实际部署中测量的模块进行验证。将利用地理信息系统绘制环境压力图和不同技术每年的预期退化率，电网的反馈往往低估了对光电系统性能的影响。通常情况下，电网和电力调节会在其他适当安装的系统中造成5-10%的损失;在不幸的情况下，这可能会上升到60%。需要更好地理解根本原因，因此将开发与电网相互作用的具体模型和不同的控制策略，总体目标是最大限度地减少这些损失影响。该项目对于英国和印度将雄心勃勃的安装计划转化为现实至关重要，因为它将提供通过地理信息系统规划安装可行性所需的工具，以强大的科学基础为支撑。这将有助于决定在特定地点使用适当的光伏技术，包括模块本身和其他系统组件，以最大限度地提高成本效益和可靠性。

Definition of the performance of photovoltaics is normally reduced to the efficiency alone. However, this number contains no indication of key issues such as system component reliability, module stability or appropriate balance of system design -- all of which play a crucial role in determining the performance in terms of usability. The key indicator is the levelised cost of energy (LCOE). The main influences on this, and thus the viability of photovoltaic technologies, are not only in material science but also in the way systems behave in the long term, and the uncertainty in predicting their behaviour. The link between laboratory-based materials science and the LCOE is poorly understood, revealing gaps in scientific knowledge which will be filled by this project. The key outcome is improved understanding of the potential for deploying photovoltaics in different climatic zones. The biggest unknowns in the LCOE are: understanding of the stability and long-term performance of photovoltaic modules; how a holistic system performance can be described; and the uncertainty in life-time energy yield prediction. This is crucial, especially for newer thin film technologies, which have been shown to be more variable in degradation and often suffer inappropriate balance of system components. Close collaboration with manufacturers of thin film as well as crystalline silicon devices will ensure that these aspects are appropriately covered. Novel measurement and modelling approaches for the prediction of life-time energy yield of the modules will be developed and validated against realistic data in collected in different climatic zones. This will result in the development of accelerated test procedures. Uncertainty calculations will enable identification and minimisation of this, and thus reduce the LCOE. A holistic systems approach is taken, specifically looking at the effects of different inverters in different climates and the effects of the existing network infrastructure on energy performance. At the heart of this project is the development of models and their validation, all focused on predicting the lifetime energy yield. A measurement campaign will be undertaken using novel techniques to better monitor the long-term behaviour of modules. Detailed, spatially-resolved techniques will be developed and linked to finite element-based models. This then allows the development of improved accelerated tests to be linked to real environments. These models will be validated against modules measured in a variety of realistic deployments. Using a geographical information system, maps of environmental strains and expected degradation rates per year for the different technologies will be developed.The feedback from the grid is an often underestimated effect on photovoltaic system performance. Typically, the grid and power conditioning cause 5-10% losses in otherwise appropriately installed systems; in unfortunate cases this can rise to 60%. The underlying reasons need to be better understood, so specific models for the interaction with the grid and different control strategies will be developed with the overall aim to minimise these loss effects.This project will be crucial for both the UK and India to translate their ambitious installation plans into reality as it will deliver the tools required to plan the viability of installations via geographical information systems, underpinned by a robust science base. This will aid decisions on the use of appropriate photovoltaic technology for a given site, to include both the modules themselves and other system components, to maximise cost-effectiveness and reliability.