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Understanding Solar Appendix: Terms, Tech & Testing

In this article, you’ll learn key terms, technologies, and tests that support solar module classification and evaluation.

Akansha Singh avatar
Written by Akansha Singh
Updated over a month ago

  1. CSR: corporate social responsibility.

  2. ESG: environment, social and governance.

  3. Distributed solar: covers residential, commercial and industrial.

  4. OEM: original equipment manufacturer, a company that produces equipment, parts and components on behalf of another company. Primary technology: what a manufacturer promotes as its leading technology and makes up the bulk of its production.

  5. Secondary technology: what a manufacturer promotes as its next-generation technology, that is, what is offered to the client after the primary technology product

Wafer Cell and module technology

  1. HJT: heterojunction cell technology

  2. N-type: semiconductor material is doped with elements that create negative charge carriers. ‘N’ stands for ‘negative’. It is used in TOPCon, HJT and some back-contact cell technologies.

  3. P-type: semiconductor material doped with elements that create positive charge carriers. ‘P’ stands for ‘positive’. It is used in PERC cell technology and can be used for back-contact technology.

  4. PERC: passivated emitter and rear-contact cell technology.

  5. TOPCon: tunnel oxide passivated contact cell technology.

  6. BC: back contact.

Certification and Testing

DH 2000: damp heat test for 2,000 hours. The test method is according to IEC 61215.

HDT: Hail Durability Test. Similar to HSS.

HSS: The Hail Stress Sequence (HSS) subjects PV modules to extreme hail impacts and tests for subsequent power loss.

LeTID: light and elevated temperature-induced degradation. The test method is according to IEC 63342.

LID: light-induced degradation. The test method is according to IEC 61215.

MSS: The Mechanical Stress Sequence (MSS) tests the mechanical durability of the PV module’s glass, frames and cells.

PAN: The de facto standard module characterization file format is a PAN file, which defines 22 parameters that PVsyst software uses for its production modelling.

PID: potential induced degradation test. The test method is according to IEC 62804.

PTC to STC: The primary differences between PVUSA test conditions (PTC) and standard test conditions (STC) are cell temperature and wind speed. Specifically, PTC parameters call for an elevated cell temperature as compared to standard test conditions, which results in a lower nominal power rating.

TC 600: thermal cycling for 600 hours. The test method is according to IEC 61215.

Temp coef: Temperature Coefficient of Power.

IAM: Incidence Angle Modifier. Performance characteristic that accounts for changes in PV module output based on changing sun angles.

UV: Ultraviolet light-induced degradation (UVID) testing reveals how stable the PV module is under UV irradiation.

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