Photovoltaics

Sandia has performed Photovoltaic R&D for over 40 years.

In 1976, Sandia tested the performance and reliability of the first fielded terrestrial systems in the co-sponsored DOE-NASA-Jet Propulsion Laboratory Block Program. Today, Sandia works with over 20 U.S. industry partners studying systems performance, reliability, and degradation; new module architectures; and materials components in racking designs, power electronic systems, and anti-soiling and anti-reflective coatings.

Outgrowth from this work includes 3 new emerging technologies (concentrating PV, mc-Si cells, and micro-engineered PV) resulting in 3 new companies and entire fields of study and multi-national conglomerates. Sandia continues R&D in indoor/outdoor characterization to understand performance, reliability, and degradation at locations around the world: leading the PV Performance Modeling Collaborative, consisting of over 2,800 members in 50 countries; the Regional Test Center program at 5 climatically distinct locations in the US; and PVCAMPER, a consortium of ten countries coordinating reliability data collection and analysis.