do you own thin film panels and how are they doing?

[muskrat]

I would like to know If any of you out there own installed thin film solar panels.
please state their brand,how long they have been in service and how their output compares to their new output if you know that or their output compared to their rated output if you don't.Also If you know of any good third party rating sites with hard numbers please post!Thanks

[Mike90250]

I one one year 2000 64 watt uni-solar flex panel. Gets used for 3 weeks a year in the Black Rock Desert, still working above rated output ('cause it's still fresh. light breaks the panel down, so for a while, it's expected to be over spec)

[muskrat]

thanks

I one one year 2000 64 watt uni-solar flex panel. Gets used for 3 weeks a year in the Black Rock Desert, still working above rated output ('cause it's still fresh. light breaks the panel down, so for a while, it's expected to be over spec)

Thanks for your reply .Sounds like your doing "burning man festival". I've always wanted to go there.I'm hoping to get some long term users here to confirm or deny the claim that thin film will go bad after a couple of years.

[Mike90250]

Thin film panels DO break down and it's fairly predictable.

http://photovoltaics.sandia.gov/docs/PDF/IEEE%20Quintana.pdf

excerpt from page 1:
A recent study at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) suggests that performance of both single and multi-crystalline fieldaged
modules degrades about 0.7% per year, primarily due to Isc losses caused by UV absorption at or near the top of the silicon surface [3]. Finally, data from the LEEETISO,
CH-Testing Centre for Photovoltaic Modules http://leee.dct.supsi.ch/PV/Results/Tested_modules.htm, reports power degradation rates on c-Si modules ranging
from 0.7%-9.8% in the first year of exposure and 0.7%- 4.9% in the second year of exposure.

so
single/multi/poly .7% loss per year
Thin 9% year 1, about 5% yearly after that.
There is no changing the physics that cause it.

Multi layer panels will see both losses

That PDF ought to be required reading for all DIY panel builders !

http://photovoltaics.sandia.gov/docs/PDF/IEEE%20Quintana.pdf

and heres another article, about side-by-side installs

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/05/solar-shootout-in-the-san-joaquin-valley

[muskrat]

9% was worst

Thin film panels DO break down and it's fairly predictable.

http://photovoltaics.sandia.gov/docs/PDF/IEEE%20Quintana.pdf

excerpt from page 1:
A recent study at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) suggests that performance of both single and multi-crystalline fieldaged
modules degrades about 0.7% per year, primarily due to Isc losses caused by UV absorption at or near the top of the silicon surface [3]. Finally, data from the LEEETISO,
CH-Testing Centre for Photovoltaic Modules http://leee.dct.supsi.ch/PV/Results/Tested_modules.htm, reports power degradation rates on c-Si modules ranging
from 0.7%-9.8% in the first year of exposure and 0.7%- 4.9% in the second year of exposure.

so
single/multi/poly .7% loss per year
Thin 9% year 1, about 5% yearly after that.
There is no changing the physics that cause it.

Multi layer panels will see both losses

That PDF ought to be required reading for all DIY panel builders !

http://photovoltaics.sandia.gov/docs/PDF/IEEE%20Quintana.pdf

and heres another article, about side-by-side installs
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/...joaquin-valley

The pdf actually states a RANGE of degradation with some thin film panels at .7% a year(not to bad) to 9% a year which is terrible. Looks to me like their might be some decent ones but there are definitely some stinkers.

Thanks for the link . I've been having trouble finding hard numbers.It would be nice if I could find a consumer report like article that actually gave brand names or at least compared chemistry's example
CdTe vrs thin film silicon vrs CIGS. The link on side by side testing looks good too.