## Understanding UV-Induced Degradation and Its Impact on Solar Panels for Your Home
When it comes to choosing the right solar panels for your home, understanding the latest developments in solar technology can help you make a more informed decision. One area of growing concern in the solar industry is UV-induced degradation (UVID), a phenomenon that could affect the efficiency and longevity of your solar array for home use. Researchers from Germany’s leading solar institute recently shed light on how UV radiation impacts the most popular solar cell technologies, highlighting challenges and potential solutions.
### What is UV-Induced Degradation?
UV-induced degradation refers to a loss in performance caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure over time. For solar panels, this issue can lead to reduced voltage and efficiency, even in advanced solar cell technologies like:
1. **PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell)**
2. **TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact)**
3. **HJT (Heterojunction)**
The degradation doesn’t happen overnight, but prolonged UV exposure can harm critical components like the solar cells’ passivation layers and the silicon material beneath. In particular, UV light can form acetic acid in the module encapsulant, corrod
Original Article: https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/12/04/fraunhofer-ise-warns-of-risk-from-higher-than-expected-uv-induced-degradation-in-topcon-perc-hjt-cells/
