While cracked solar cells in a module may have very little impact on Standard Test Condition (STC) power levels at the beginning of life, cracked solar cells can lead to accelerated performance loss in the field. Not all cracks have the same impact to module performance either at the start of life or after field exposure. The potential for areas of the solar cell to become completely isolated is critical to performance degradation over time.

Knowing the health of a module – and indeed, an entire installation – creates the ability to more accurately predict the life and output of the system.

Core Energy Works has tested thousands of modules that were returned from the field, are still in the field, or are suspect for shipping damage. Our testing indicates that greater than 10% of prime modules have at least one cracked solar cell.

Show here, an electroluminescent image of a solar module revealing 9 cracked cells.  Can you find them all?