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Featured in Factory floor – 09-2026

Shedding light on ultraviolet-induced degradation

Recent testing to better understand power degradation during highly accelerated UV exposure indicates that ultraviolet-induced degradation observed in the laboratory is real, partially reversible, and – perhaps most importantly – entirely preventable. Cherif Kedir of the Renewable Energy Test Center (RETC) shares the results of its latest round of module testing.
Cherif Kedir
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Cherif Kedir
Manufacturers are finding ways to mitigate UVID losses in newer module technologies, including light soaking and different design approaches. | Image: RETC

Reports first began to emerge of ultraviolet-induced degradation (UVID) as early as 2022, as a potential field reliability issue for some newer high-efficiency PV cell technologies – most notably, n-type tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) devices. RETC’s “2024 PV Module Index Report” noted that roughly 40% of UVID test samples degraded by 5% or more, …

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