Performance test of amorphous silicon modules in different climates: higher minimum operating temperatures lead to higher performance levels

To assess the performance of thin-film amorphous silicon (a-Si) devices operating in different climatic conditions, three identical sets of commercially available a-Si PV modules from five different manufacturers were simultaneously deployed outdoors in three sites with distinct climates (Arizona-USA, Colorado-USA and Florianopolis-Brazil) in a round robin exposure experiment. The four-year experiment aims to determine the light-induced degradation and stabilization characteristics of a-Si regarding specific history of exposure, and to monitor and compare degradation rates in different climates. We present results from the first year of measurements, showing that modules deployed at the site with the highest minimum operating temperature experienced the highest stabilized output level.