IEA PVPS Task 13: Reliability and Performance of Photovoltaic Systems (Work Plan 2024 - 2025)

Task 13 is the international platform where quality and reliability of photovoltaics is discussed and compiled and processed into reports. The Austrian partners have been valued participants for many years, and by collaborating with each other and across national borders, they can leverage research and experience from member countries and collectively combine and integrate this knowledge into valuable summaries of best practices and methodologies to ensure that PV systems perform optimally and continue to provide green energy and competitive return on investment.

This will allow them to make international research results available to Austrian stakeholders as well. On the one hand, the Austrian partners participate in the preparation of essential international results on the performance, operation and reliability of photovoltaic systems and, on the other hand, contribute their own research results from national and European projects. The extensive work program for the fourth international work period was also developed with significant participation of the Austrian partners and runs since 2022.

For about ten years, crystalline modules, which represent more than 85% of the world market, were produced in the same form. In recent years, many innovations in cell and module manufacturing have been introduced into the rapidly growing market, and photovoltaics is also constantly opening up new applications, which means that system designs are also undergoing major changes. What impact these changes have on yield, operation and reliability, and how these can best be compared, presented and communicated, is the subject of this work period.

In the first two years, efficient teams have already been formed and relevant information on the three technical subtasks has been compiled and structured in the specific activities. In the following two years, the work started will be continued and published in international reports. Thus, information will be developed for the different international and national stakeholders to enable optimal planning, production, installation and operation of photovoltaic plants in different areas and constellations. As before, the work will be divided into three technical subtasks and a fourth - which serves dissemination - which will be structured into individual activities.

ST 1 bundles the activities on innovations in module design, ST 2 focuses on novel PV system concepts and applications, and ST 3 deals with the technical and economic key figures. ST 4 bundles the dissemination and public relations activities of Task 13. The Austrian partners are mainly active in ST 1 and ST 3 as well as the dissemination activities ST 4.

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany (Operating Agent), Israel, India, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, USA

Project lead

Gernot Oreski, Polymer Competence Center Leoben (PCCL)
Sauraugasse 1, 8700 Leoben
E-Mail: Gernot.Oreski@pccl.at
Tel.: +43 664 88679331

Project partners

Karl A. Berger
Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT)
Giefinggasse , 1210 Wien
E-Mail: Karl.Berger@ait.ac.at

Gabriele C. Eder
Österreichisches Forschungsinstitut für Chemie und Technik (OFI)
Franz-Grill-Straße 5, Objekt 213, 1030 Wien
E-Mail: Gabriele.Eder@ofi.at