TOPCon UVID Detected During First Year of Operation

Annual EL inspection revealed early-stage UV-induced degradation, enabling warranty negotiations and long-term asset protection.

Project Overview

Aura PV performed an annual drone-based Electroluminescence (EL) inspection on a utility-scale TOPCon solar project during its first year of operation.

The objective was to establish an early operational baseline and identify any emerging module degradation before measurable performance losses occurred.

The Challenge

TOPCon technology has rapidly become the dominant cell architecture in the utility-scale solar market. While offering higher efficiencies, TOPCon modules can be more susceptible to UV-Induced Degradation (UVID), a failure mechanism that is often invisible to visual inspections and thermal imaging.

Without advanced diagnostics, asset owners may not discover these issues until performance losses become apparent years later.

Key Findings

Drone-based EL imaging identified multiple modules exhibiting abnormal brightness patterns consistent with early-stage UVID.

The degradation was not visible through:

• Visual inspection

• Infrared thermography

• Routine production monitoring

EL imaging provided direct evidence of internal cell degradation at the module level.

Business Impact

Using the inspection results, the asset owner was able to:

• Establish a phased module replacement strategy

• Initiate discussions with the manufacturer

• Secure an extended warranty agreement

• Reduce long-term asset depreciation risk

Why It Matters

Early detection of UVID allows owners to take corrective action before significant production losses occur.

For modern TOPCon projects, annual EL inspections provide a valuable tool for warranty protection, asset valuation, and long-term performance assurance.

Key Outcome

Early-stage UVID identified before significant production loss, enabling proactive warranty management and long-term asset protection.