The use of polyurethane as encapsulating method for polymer solar cells—An inter laboratory study on outdoor stability in 8 countries

A new encapsulation method for organic solar cells has been tested on flexible solar modules and cells embedded in polyurethane, sandwiched between a tempered glass plate and a polycarbonate plate. Panels, each containing 10 organic solar modules/cells, were fabricated and installed for outdoor exposure in eight different countries for 4½ months. In order to minimize potential deviations in procedures and equipment, one person was responsible for the fabrication, installation and initial and final IV-measurements of the panels using the same equipment for all measurements and calibrations. The encapsulated modules/cells showed significantly reduced degradation compared with previous studies, with final average efficiencies around 40% of the original after 4½ months outdoor exposure. Photodegradation was furthermore found not to be the primary source of degradation.

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► An outdoor inter laboratory stability study on rigid panels was performed in eight countries.
► Deviations by human factors limited by fabrication and measurements performed by a single person.
► Fast low temperature encapsulation method with reduced degradation compared to previous studies.
► Photodegradation showed not to be the main source of degradation.