A Test Procedure for Investigating Hot Spots in Upgraded Metallurgical Grade Silicon (UMG-Si) Photovoltaic (PV) Modules

A study is presented to investigate the effect of hot spot on Upgraded metallurgical grade silicon (UMG-Si) Photovoltaic and on modules. These modules are designed and fabricated based on cells with different breakdown voltage. The procedure of testing is applied to show the performance of modules for the worst case hot spot condition by using outdoor testing and infrared (IR) camera. This test procedure implements international standards of testing PV modules for hot spots with adaptation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) environment where necessary. The behavior of modules is compared and studied at different situation to know if this type of material is appropriate for photovoltaic applications in the KSA.