The document summarizes the SOPHIA project which aimed to promote coordination among PV research infrastructures in Europe. The project involved 17 research organizations and 3 associations. It had three main activities: 1) Providing transnational access to 48 research facilities for 56 proposals, 2) Improving research infrastructure services through joint activities like benchmarking and validation, 3) Networking activities including workshops, databases and a strategic research agenda. The project concluded that increased coordination can provide better value through actions like harmonizing characterization, benchmarking, training and mutual access to infrastructures.

1. Optimising PV Research Infrastructures in
Europe:
Lessons learned from the SOPHIA Project
Philippe Malbranche,
Project Coordinator,
INES General Director,
philippe.malbranche@cea.fr
+ F. Bergeron, J. Merten, B. Assoa, E. Gerritsen, M. Albaric, R.
Varache, G. Razongles, S. Cros (CEA-INES, France), G.
Siefer, M. Koehl, M. Schubert, W. Warta, S. Misara, W.
Sprenger (Fraunhofer ISE & IWES, Germany), I. Bennett, J.
Kroon (ECN, The Netherlands), I. Gordon (IMEC, Belgium), S.
Gevorgyan (DTU, Denmark), N Taylor, A. Pozza (JRC, Italy), I.
Lauermann, V. Hinrichs, M. Schmid (HZB, Germany), J.
Huepkes, Y. Augarten (FZ Jülich, Germany), I. Anton (UPM,
Spain), F. Aleo, P.M. Pugliatti (ENEL, Italy), F. Paletta (RSE,
Italy), R. Gottschalg, T. Betts (CREST, United Kingdom), F.
Roca (ENEA, Italy), S. Rousu, J. Hast (VTT, Finland), T.
Pettersen, M. Juel (SINTEF), S Zamini, K. Berger (AIT,
Austria), P. Basso (EPIA, Belgium), G. Arrowsmith, V. Valente
(EUREC, Belgium), E. Roman, P. Cano, O. Zubillaga
(TECNALIA, Spain), D. Craciun (DERLAB, Germany).

2. Content
1. Description
● Context and motivation
● Scope
● Consortium
● Objectives and activities
2. Main outcomes
● Transnational access activities
● Joint research activities
● Networking activities
3. Main lessons learned and conclusions
2

3. Context and Motivation
3
Many PV research infrastructures exist all over Europe:
• Some are unique: BESSY3 (HZB, Berlin), super computer (FZ Jülich)
• Some are quite similar: PV module test facilities
This project was the first to promote on a large-scale an
increased coordination in order to:
1. avoid unintended duplication
2. avoid unnecessary investment.
3. get more value out of the same budgets. « Working together to
progress faster or to learn more » :
• Benchmarking of characterisation methods,
• Validation with a larger number of data to increase the confidence level
Joining forces to offer better services for
researchers
from academia and industry

4. Scope of activities
● The project focuses on 8 topics covering the whole value chain:
• Silicon material
• Thin films and TCOs
• Organic PV
• Modelling
• CPV
• BIPV
• PV Module lifetime
• PV module and system performance
● A link to the EERA PV Joint Programme is organised through:
• Many common partners
• Four topics are also addressed within EERA
4
Funding scheme : Integrating Activities
Duration : 48 months
EU financial contribution : 9 M€
Starting date : February 2011

5. The consortium: 20 Partners
● 17 research organisations, 3 associations for information exchange
5

6. The consortium: 20 Partners
● 17 research organisations, 3 associations for information exchange
6
WPL
WPL
WPL
WPL
COORD
WPL

7. A dedicated website : www.sophia-ri.eu
7

8. Two main project objectives
1. Access of European researchers to a portfolio of laboratories and test
facilities,
2. Coordination of partners from academia and research institutes in order
to address some specific challenges.
8
Coordinated set of
facilities (mainly
characterisation and
modelling)
Outstanding facilities
(lab, characterisation
tools)
Training

9. Three types of activities
1. Transnational Access Activities:
Free-of-charge transnational access for researchers,
through a single entry point
2. Joint Research Activities: Upgrade and improvement
of the services of PV RIs
3. Networking Activites for coordination and joint
development of the RIs
9
1. Listing existing Ris
Equipment, procedures
2. Increasing coordination
Benchmarking, RoundRobin,
improved procedures
3. Developing joint
strategy
As a driver towards an increased coordination :

10. Outline
1. Description
● Context and motivation
● Scope
● Consortium
● Objectives
2. Main outcomes
● Transnational access activities
● Joint research activities
● Networking activities
3. Conclusions
10

11. Trans-national Access Activities results (TNA)
● Objective: provide free of charge and open access to 48
research infrastructures offering various services:
• Prototyping
• Better characterisation of materials and innovative technologies,
• Performance characterisation and lifetime prediction of PV modules
• Modelling
11

12. Offering free access European PV RI
12

13. Transnational access activities outcomes
● 8 calls for research proposals organised
● Since January 2012
● Last call still open
● 56 proposals submitted in total
13
+

14. TNA: Evaluation / selection / hosting
● 40 TNA access granted:
● 3 cancelled by applicant
● 14 planned or in planning stage
● 13 currently running
● 10 finalised
14
Host
infrastructure
#
projects
to
be
hosted
(planning
stage)
#
projects
hosted
(ongoing
or
done)
#
HZB
1
4
5
Fraunhofer-­‐ISE
3
2
5
IES-­‐UPM
4
4
CREST
3
1
4
Jülich
3
3
DTU
3
3
CEA-­‐INES
3
3
Tecnalia
2
2
ENEA
2
2
SINTEF
2
2
IMEC
1
1
AIT
1
1
ECN
1
1
RSE
1
1
Enel
0
EC
JRC
0
VTT
0
total:
14
23
37

15. TNA: example 1
● “cSiPID” proposal
= “Indoor and outdoor monitoring of potential-
induced degradation and recovery of
conventional crystalline silicon photovoltaics”
● Topic: PV Module lifetime
● Call 6
● Proposed by: Cyprus University
● Host: AIT
● Objectives
● investigate the correlation between indoor and
outdoor PID
● assess the capability of the environmental
chamber test to predict which of the different
module designs show durability in the field
● verify the crucial role of the ARC-SixNy in the PID
process
15

16. TNA: example 2
● “DUSOP”
= “Thermal and Spectral Dependence of Dual Silicone Optics”
● Topic: CPV
● Call # 5
● Proposed by: Fullsun Photovoltaics Ltd (UK)
● Hosting RI: IES-UPM
● experimentation
16

17. Joint Research Activities
● Objectives: to improve and optimise the services provided by the
research infrastructures.
● Work focused on four topics:
1. Greater accuracy of rated power and energy output prediction of
PV modules & systems
2. Quicker lifetime prediction of PV modules though accelerated
ageing tests and improved failure analysis procedures
3. Improved Material characterisation procedures dedicated to:
1. silicon material,
2. thin films and TCOs,
3. and organic solar cells
4. Improvement and validation of software infrastructure for
material, cell, module and system modelling
17

18. Previous Round Robin results
● In 2006 10 labs
Worldwide
● In 2008-2009 7
European labs
● 2009-2011 – 9
Asian labs
18
+3%
-3%
At LIC
TC
18.3%
Measurement deviation in Pmax
At STC
• 2013-2014 – 11
European labs
Results presented at 29th EUPVSEC, 5DO9.3 paper

19. Current measurements at STC
19

20. Conclusions/Recommendations
- Nominal Module Power (29th EUPVSEC, 5DO.9.3)
A wide spectrum of lessons learned
• Hardware
– Include spectrum measurements for the outdoor MMF correction procedure.
– Improve the Homogeneity of irradiance of the solar simulator.
– Some partners need to acquire additional hardware for LIC measurements.
– Incorporate an active temperature control for the DUT outdoors.
– Set up or improve a spectral response measurement system for modules.
– Change the measurement load and reduce the random error at LIC current
measurements
• Software:
– Use only the raw data from the measurements and feed it in to a software with
different fitting options for parameter extraction and corrections.
• Methodology and procedures
– Implement procedures for LIC outdoors.
– Improve the temperature control outdoors.
– Increase the number of measurement that are average to minimise the random error.
– Perform multi-flash measurement mode for all the technologies
– Develop procedures for LIC measurements that minimise hysteresis.
• Uncertainty analysis:
– Most partners have uncertainties that are either underestimated or overestimated
Improvements required
2020

21. Quicker lifetime prediction though accelerated
ageing tests and improved failure analysis
• Portfolio of testing infrastructure at the partner institutes
– Additional advanced characterisation techniques for following module degradation
– Additional tests including PID, combined UV and DH and dynamic-mechanical loading
• Collaboration between institutes has made an extensive test plan possible
with 15 accelerated tests beyond IEC61215
– Tested on commercial modules with three different technologies
– Comparison of test and characterisation procedures at the different institutes
21

22. Results (29th EUPVSEC, 5DO.11.4)
• Modelling of results and proposal for quality assurance test sequence
– QA test sequence designed to allow determination of activation energies,
– relationship to climate and expected lifetime in the field
22
Remaining WCPEC 6 presentations
related to the SOPHIA project :
Wednesday Nov 26th : 7WePo10.5
Thursday Nov 27th :7ThO.3.3

23. Outline
1. Description
● Context and motivation
● Scope
● Consortium
● Objectives
2. Main outcomes
● Transnational access activities
● Joint research activities
● Networking activities
3. Conclusions
23

24. Networking activities: Objectives and results
(1/3)
Objectives :
• Defining common objectives per each topic
• Benchmarking and developing common procedures for testing and characterising
PV materials, modules and systems,
• Performing training and exchange activities for all European scientists (summer
universities, exchanges
Results :
● 18 networking seminars and workshops
● 10 common databases
● Sets of measurement data and test results:
● Listing of test- and analysis capabilities:TNA infrastructures, TCO test facilities,
PV systems and smartgrid test facilities, PV module test equipment, accelerated
ageing test procedures, silicon imaging techniques
● Overviews of modelling tools
● Test procedures and standards
● Proposals of common testing procedures, and recommended best practices,
● Contributions to IEC TC82 WG2 & WG7
24

25. Networking activities: results (2/3)
● Staff exchange
● Training courses and summer schools
25
● E-learning platform: “SOPHi@Webinar”
q 21 webinars organised since March 2013
§ Around 2-3 events/month organized
q 570 participants in total (+ 60 in streaming)
§ Majority of non-SOPHIA members
q Information on all courses available on the Sophia “events”
web page
§ http://www.sophia-ri.eu/news-events/news/
q Several pdf presentations of workshops and webinars
(pdf, video) are available on-line on Sophia Events pages.

26. Networking activities results (3/3): Writing of a
Strategic Research Infrastructure Agenda
Six types of research infrastructures, all along the PV value chain
Material and
equipment
suppliers
Cell / Module
manufacturers
System
providers,
installers
Integrated
energy
services,
citizen
New materials,
New process
High
throughput
processes
Integration (grid,
buildings, cities),
reliability
Power and yield
prediction,
management
strategies, diagnosis
Investors
PVvalue
chain
Research
activities

27. Networking activities results (3/3): Writing of a
Strategic Research Infrastructure Agenda
Six types of research infrastructures, all along the PV value chain
1. Outstanding facilities
(lab, characterisation
tools)
3. A network of various
pilot lines for yield
demonstration
4. A global quality and
reliability PV
infrastructure
5. E-infrastructure for
large-scale
management of PV
systems
2. Coordinated set of
facilities (mainly
modelling and
characterisation)
6. Training all along the PV value chain
Material and
equipment
suppliers
Cell / Module
manufacturers
System
providers,
installers
Integrated
energy
services,
citizen
New materials,
New process
High
throughput
processes
Integration (grid,
buildings, cities),
reliability
Power and yield
prediction,
management
strategies, diagnosis
Investors
PVvalue
chain
Research
activities
Research
infrastructures

28. Content
1. Description
● Context and motivation
● Scope
● Consortium
● Objectives and activities
2. Main outcomes
● Transnational access activities
● Joint research activities
● Networking activities
3. Main lessons learned and conclusions
28

29. RI
Coordination
Researcher
training &
mobility
Programation
activities
Sustainability
Support to
innovation
Characteris-
ation
procedures
Data
management
Actions for sharing and mutualizing research
infrastructures

30. RI
Coordination
Researcher
training &
mobility
Programation
activities
Sustainability
Support to
innovation
Characteris-
ation
procedures
Data
management
Actions for sharing and mutualizing research
infrastructures

31. RI
Coordination
Researcher
training &
mobility
Programation
activities
Sustainability
Support to
innovation
Characteris-
ation
procedures
Data
management
Increased
efficiency
providing
better value
for a given budget
Actions for sharing and mutualizing research
infrastructures

32. Review of existing situation
Action plan
&
Strategic
roadmap
Dissemination & Exploitation
Capacity building
- Short term
- Middle term
- Long term
Suggestion of a generic action plan

33. Review of existing situation
Action plan
&
Strategic
roadmap
Dissemination & Exploitation
Capacity building
Harmonisation of
characterization
practices
Benchmarking
Labelling / Regulation
Suggestion of an action plan in the field of
photovoltaics

34. 34
1.
Reviewing
our
Research
Infrastructures
2.
Increasing
our
coordinaPon
3.
Developing
joint
strategies
4.
CollaboraPng
on
selected
topics
- Iden*fying
current
facili*es
and
equipment
- Surveying
characterisa*on
procedures
- Lis*ng
of
ongoing
projects
- Benchmarking
and
organisa*on
of
Round
Robin
tests
- Understanding
the
various
criteria
for
improved
characterisa*on
- Valida*ng
test
procedures
and
characterisa*on
methods
-­‐
Elabora*ng
a
roadmap
-­‐
develop
joint
ac*on
plans
-­‐
Do
some
lobbying:
at
EC
at
country
levels
on
priority
topics
and
ac*ons
-­‐
Dedicated
scien*fic
and
technological
projects
,
when
sufficient
resources
become
available
Detailed actions in the field of photovoltaics
Review of the
various solar RIs
Increased
coordination
Development of
Joint Action Plans
Collaboration on
selected topics

35. Last suggestion : enlarge existing European
collaboration

36. 36
Overall conclusions
• This project provided the opportunity for a better
coordination, following a three step approach :
1. Listing RIs, by identifying current facilities, equipment
and characterisation procedures
2. Organising Round Robin tests and validating
characterisation methods
3. Developing joint strategies & roadmaps
10 databases
5 Round Robins +
1 large test plan
18 Workshops +
webinars
• This first-of-its-kind project has gradually been gaining momentum
(webinars, TNAs, ..), and it sets the basis for more in-depth collaboration
• Many results to be disseminated:
Ø 10 presentations at 29th EUPVSEC
Ø 5 presentations at WCPEC 6
• The “Research Infrastructure” concept has to be enlarged to cover the needs
of all European researchers.
• It may also be enlarged to additional neighbouring countries

37. Thank you for your attention …
…. And coming next week: January 22nd, 2015
37
as part of the SOPHIA final event:
A Symposium on
European PV Research
Infrastructures
● January 22nd, 2015
● at CEA-INES
in Chambéry (France)
● What are the main achievements of the
SOPHIA project ?
● How to keep European R&D at world-
class level?
● What is the best way to support
innovation in the PV industry?
● Should PV research infrastructure for
quality & reliability be linked worldwide?
● Can Big Data bring big advantages in the
area of solar PV system operation ?

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