Cumulative aging effects of five-year intermittent exposure on flexible amorphous solar cells

Abstract

Amorphous silicon (a-Si) is rarely used for large scale photovoltaic energy production, it remains relevant in flexible electronic applications, where mechanical flexibility and lightweight design are prioritized, where exposure to sunlight is typically limited or irregular. This study conducts an experimental analysis of the long-term aging effects on the proprieties of an amorphous solar cells, under five years of intermittent outdoor climate conditions. Unlike conventional aging studies that focus on degradation over time, this research highlights the cumulative effects of environmental exposure, considering the discontinuous nature of exposure cycles and the non-linearity of degradation phenomena because of the abrupt transitions between outdoor exposure phases and indoor laboratory rest periods. The results show that nearly 50% of the panel’s performances is reduced, with the losses observed as follows: a substantial decline in the fill factor from 55.3% to 30%, a decrease in energy conversion efficiency from 11.36% to 5.5%. This accelerated deterioration mainly attributed to harsh environmental transitions caused by intermittent exposure, which amplify aging mechanism compared to continuous exposure. Beyond the experimental findings, the approach presented here, constitutes a meaningful scientific contribution. By introducing a realistic and underexplored aging scenario, it lays the groundwork for a new line of research.