Solar cells are widely used to generate electric energy even at homes. It surely has a great advantage of sustainability. However, the potential induced degradation has been found to be an obstacle problem for practical use. It was reported that the main cause is the dielectric breakdown in the glass covered over the solar cells triggered by the thunderstroke. In this paper, the effects of the parameters such as the position of thunderstroke, the wave form, the peak value and the front duration of the lightning current, were examined by means of numerical calculation. For the lightning current, a step-like waveform and an impulse waveform were examined. The effect of the induced voltage was found to be independent of the waveform. The peak value, the front duration of the lightning current greatly affects the induced voltage.
Halm, A., Schneider, A., Mihailetchi, V.D., Koduvelikulathu, L.J., Popescu, L.M., Galbiati, G., Chu, H. and Kopecek, Ro. (2015) Potential-Induced Degradation for Encapsulated n-Type IBC Solar Cells with Front Floating Emitter. Energy Procedia, 77, 356-363.
Naumann, V., Lausch, D., Großer, S., Werner, M., Swatek, S., Hagendorf, C. and Bagdahn, J. (2013) Microstructural Analysis of Crystal Defects Leading to Potential- Induced Degradation (PID) of Si Solar Cells. Energy Procedia, 33, 76-83.
Bahr, M. and Lauer, K. (2015) Analysis of Activation Energies and Decay-Time Constants of Potential-Induced Degraded Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells. Energy Procedia, 77, 2-7.
Ohmukai, M. and Tsuyoshi, A. Simulation Suggests Origin of Potential Induced Degradation of Solar Cell. Journal of Power and Energy Engineering. In Press.
Mur, G. (1981) Absorbing Boundary Conditions for the Finite-Difference Approximation of the Time-Domain Electromagnetic-Field Equation. IEEE Transactions on Electromagnetic Compatibility, EMC-23, 377-382.
https://doi.org/10.1109/TEMC.1981.303970
