EN IEC 61215-1-2:2021

Terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules - Design qualification and type approval - Part 1-2: Special requirements for testing of thin-film Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) based photovoltaic (PV) modules

This document lays down requirements for the design qualification of terrestrial photovoltaic modules suitable for long-term operation in open-air climates. The useful service life of modules so qualified will depend on their design, their environment and the conditions under which they are operated. Test results are not construed as a quantitative prediction of module lifetime. In climates where 98th percentile operating temperatures exceed 70 °C, users are recommended to consider testing to higher temperature test conditions as described in IEC TS 63126. Users desiring qualification of PV products with lesser lifetime expectations are recommended to consider testing designed for PV in consumer electronics, as described in IEC 63163 (under development). Users wishing to gain confidence that the characteristics tested in IEC 61215 appear consistently in a manufactured product may wish to utilize IEC 62941 regarding quality systems in PV manufacturing. This document is intended to apply to all thin-film CdTe based terrestrial flat plate modules. As such, it addresses special requirements for testing of this technology supplementing IEC 61215-1:2021 and IEC 61215-2:2021 requirements for testing. This document does not apply to modules used with concentrated sunlight although it may be utilized for low concentrator modules (1 to 3 suns). For low concentration modules, all tests are performed using the irradiance, current, voltage and power levels expected at the design concentration. The object of this test sequence is to determine the electrical characteristics of the module and to show, as far as possible within reasonable constraints of cost and time, that the module is capable of withstanding prolonged exposure outdoors. Accelerated test conditions are empirically based on those necessary to reproduce selected observed field failures and are applied equally across module types. Acceleration factors may vary with product design and thus not all degradation mechanisms may manifest. Further general information on accelerated test methods including definitions of terms may be found in IEC 62506. Some long-term degradation mechanisms can only reasonably be detected via component testing, due to long times required to produce the failure and necessity of stress conditions that are expensive to produce over large areas. Component tests that have reached a sufficient level of maturity to set pass/fail criteria with high confidence are incorporated into the IEC 61215 series via addition to Table 1 in IEC 61215-1. In contrast, the tests procedures described in this series, in IEC 61215-2, are performed on modules. This document defines PV technology dependent modifications to the testing procedures and requirements per IEC 61215-1:2021 and IEC 61215-2:2021.

Terrestrische Photovoltaik(PV)-Module - Bauarteignung und Bauartzulassung - Teil 1-2: Besondere Anforderungen an die Prüfung von Photovoltaik(PV)-Dünnschichtmodulen aus Cadmiumtellurid (CdTe)

Modules photovoltaïques (PV) pour applications terrestres - Qualification de la conception et homologation - Partie 1-2: Exigences particulières d'essai des modules photovoltaïques (PV) au tellurure de cadmium (CdTe) à couches minces

IEC 61215-1-2:2021 est disponible sous forme de IEC 61215-1-2:2021 RLV qui contient la Norme internationale et sa version Redline, illustrant les modifications du contenu technique depuis l'édition précédente. IEC 61215-1-2:2021 établit les exigences pour la qualification de la conception des modules photovoltaïques (PV) pour applications terrestres adaptés à une utilisation de longue durée dans les climats à l'air libre. La durée de vie utile des modules ainsi qualifiés dépend de leur conception, de leur environnement et de leurs conditions de fonctionnement. Les résultats d’essai ne sont pas considérés comme une prévision quantitative de la durée de vie des modules. Le présent document est destiné à s'appliquer à tous les modules à plaque plane au tellurure de cadmium (CdTe) à couches minces pour applications terrestres. À ce titre, il spécifie des exigences d'essai particulières à cette technologie en complément des exigences d'essai données dans l'IEC 61215-1:2021 et l'IEC 61215-2:2021. Le présent document définit les modifications dépendantes de la technologie photovoltaïque, apportées aux exigences et procédures d'essai de l'IEC 61215-1:2021 et de l'IEC 61215 2:2021. Cette deuxième édition annule et remplace la première édition de l'IEC 61215-1-2, parue en 2016. Cette édition inclut les modifications techniques majeures suivantes par rapport à l'édition précédente: a. Ajout d'un essai de charge mécanique (dynamique) cyclique (MQT 20). b. Ajout d'un essai de dégradation induite par le potentiel (MQT 21) c. Ajout d'un essai de flexion (MQT 22) dédié aux modules souples

Prizemni fotonapetostni (PV) moduli - Ocena zasnove in odobritev tipa - 1-2. del: Posebne zahteve za preskušanje fotonapetostnih modulov iz tankoslojnega kadmij-telurja (CdTe)

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 18-Mar-2021
• ICS: 27.160 - Solar energy engineering
• Technical Committee: CLC/TC 82 - Solar photovoltaic energy systems
• Drafting Committee: IEC/TC 82 - IEC_TC_82
• Current Stage: 6060 - Document made available - Publishing
• Start Date: 19-Mar-2021
• Completion Date: 19-Mar-2021
• Ref Project: SIST EN IEC 61215-1-2:2021 - Terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules - Design qualification and type approval - Part 1-2: Special requirements for testing of thin-film Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) based photovoltaic (PV) modules

Relations

• Replaces: EN 61215-1-2:2017 - Terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules - Design qualification and type approval - Part 1-2: Special requirements for testing of thin-film Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) based photovoltaic (PV) modules
• Effective Date: 23-Mar-2021
• Amended By: EN IEC 61215-1-2:2021/A1:2022 - Terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules - Design qualification and type approval - Part 1-2: Special requirements for testing of thin-film Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) based photovoltaic (PV) modules
• Effective Date: 16-Mar-2021

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-junij-2021
Nadomešča:
SIST EN 61215-1-2:2017
Prizemni fotonapetostni (PV) moduli - Ocena zasnove in odobritev tipa - 1-2. del:
Posebne zahteve za preskušanje fotonapetostnih modulov iz tankoslojnega
kadmij-telurja (CdTe)
Terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules - Design qualification and type approval - Part 1-2:
Special requirements for testing of thin-film Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) based
photovoltaic (PV) modules
Terrestrische kristalline Silizium-Photovoltaik(PV)-Module - Bauarteignung und
Bauartzulassung - Teil 1-2: Besondere Anforderungen an die Prüfung von Photovoltaik
(PV)-Dünnschichtmodulen aus Cadmiumtellurid-(CdTe)
Modules photovoltaïques (PV) pour applications terrestres - Qualification de la
conception et homologation - Partie 1-2: Exigences particulières d'essai des modules
photovoltaïques (PV) au tellurure de cadmium (CdTe) à couches minces
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN IEC 61215-1-2:2021
ICS:
27.160 Sončna energija Solar energy engineering
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD EN IEC 61215-1-2

NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
March 2021
ICS 27.160 Supersedes EN 61215-1-2:2017 and all of its
amendments and corrigenda (if any)
English Version
Terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules - Design qualification and
type approval - Part 1-2: Special requirements for testing of thin-
film Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) based photovoltaic (PV) modules
(IEC 61215-1-2:2021)
Modules photovoltaïques (PV) pour applications terrestres - Terrestrische Photovoltaik(PV)-Module - Bauarteignung und
Qualification de la conception et homologation - Partie 1-2: Bauartzulassung - Teil 1-2: Besondere Anforderungen an
Exigences particulières d'essai des modules die Prüfung von Photovoltaik(PV)-Dünnschichtmodulen aus
photovoltaïques (PV) au tellurure de cadmium (CdTe) à Cadmiumtellurid (CdTe)
couches minces (IEC 61215-1-2:2021)
(IEC 61215-1-2:2021)
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2021-03-16. CENELEC members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC
Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.
Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre or to any CENELEC member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the
same status as the official versions.
CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and the United Kingdom.

European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2021 CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC Members.
Ref. No. EN IEC 61215-1-2:2021 E

European foreword
The text of document 82/1825/FDIS, future edition 2 of IEC 61215-1-2, prepared by IEC/TC 82 "Solar
photovoltaic energy systems" was submitted to the IEC-CENELEC parallel vote and approved by
CENELEC as EN IEC 61215-1-2:2021.
The following dates are fixed:
• latest date by which the document has to be implemented at national (dop) 2021-12-16
level by publication of an identical national standard or by endorsement
• latest date by which the national standards conflicting with the (dow) 2024-03-16
document have to be withdrawn
This document supersedes EN 61215-1-2:2017 and all of its amendments and corrigenda (if any).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CENELEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Endorsement notice
The text of the International Standard IEC 61215-1-2:2021 was approved by CENELEC as a
European Standard without any modification.
Annex ZA
(normative)
Normative references to international publications
with their corresponding European publications
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments)
applies.
NOTE 1  Where an International Publication has been modified by common modifications, indicated by (mod),
the relevant EN/HD applies.
NOTE 2  Up-to-date information on the latest versions of the European Standards listed in this annex is available
here: www.cenelec.eu.
The normative references of EN IEC 61215-1:2021 and EN IEC 61215-2:2021 are applicable without
modifications.
IEC 61215-1-2 ®
Edition 2.0 2021-02
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules – Design qualification and type approval –

Part 1-2: Special requirements for testing of thin-film Cadmium Telluride (CdTe)

based photovoltaic (PV) modules

Modules photovoltaïques (PV) pour applications terrestres – Qualification de la

conception et homologation –
Partie 1-2: Exigences particulières d'essai des modules photovoltaïques (PV)

au tellurure de cadmium (CdTe) à couches minces

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 27.160 ISBN 978-2-8322-9358-4

– 2 – IEC 61215-1-2:2021 © IEC 2021
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 7
4 Test samples . 7
5 Marking and documentation . 7
6 Testing . 7
7 Pass criteria . 7
8 Major visual defects . 7
9 Report . 7
10 Modifications . 7
11 Test flow and procedures . 7
11.1 Visual inspection (MQT 01) . 7
11.2 Maximum power determination (MQT 02) . 7
11.3 Insulation test (MQT 03) . 8
11.4 Measurement of temperature coefficients (MQT 04) . 8
11.5 Placeholder section, formerly NMOT . 8
11.6 Performance at STC (MQT 06.1) . 8
11.7 Performance at low irradiance (MQT 07) . 8
11.8 Outdoor exposure test (MQT 08) . 8
11.9 Hot-spot endurance test (MQT 09). 8
11.9.1 Purpose . 8
11.9.2 Hot-spot effect . 8
11.9.3 Classification of cell interconnection . 8
11.9.4 Apparatus . 8
11.9.5 Procedure . 8
11.9.6 Final measurements . 9
11.9.7 Requirements . 9
11.10 UV preconditioning test (MQT 10) . 9
11.11 Thermal cycling test (MQT 11) . 9
11.12 Humidity-freeze test (MQT 12) . 9
11.13 Damp heat test (MQT 13) . 9
11.14 Robustness of terminations (MQT 14) . 9
11.15 Wet leakage current test (MQT 15) . 9
11.16 Static mechanical load test (MQT 16) . 9
11.17 Hail test (MQT 17) . 9
11.18 Bypass diode testing (MQT 18) . 9
11.19 Stabilization (MQT 19) . 9
11.19.1 Criterion definition for stabilization . 9
11.19.2 Light induced stabilization procedures . 10
11.19.3 Other stabilization procedures . 10
11.19.4 Initial stabilization (MQT 19.1) . 10
11.19.5 Final stabilization (MQT 19.2) . 10
11.20 Cyclic (dynamic) mechanical load test (MQT 20) . 11
11.21 Potential induced degradation test (MQT 21) . 11

IEC 61215-1-2:2021 © IEC 2021 – 3 –
11.22 Bending test (MQT 22) . 11

– 4 – IEC 61215-1-2:2021 © IEC 2021
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
TERRESTRIAL PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) MODULES –
DESIGN QUALIFICATION AND TYPE APPROVAL –

Part 1-2: Special requirements for testing of thin-film Cadmium
Telluride (CdTe) based photovoltaic (PV) modules

FOREWORD
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