Harsh Outdoor Evaluation Setup and First Power Production Results for Si Mini-Modules Covered by Eu3+-Based Down Converters

A new outdoor evaluation setup has been installed in a harsh location close to the Sahara Desert, in South Tenerife (28°04'16.48”N 16°30'48.15”W). The environmental conditions are unique in terms of very high sun irradiation, salinity, thermal cycles and dust. The setup is composed by 8 mini-module positions. Some mini-modules have been covered with different down-converters synthesized in our lab, in order to evaluate improvements in efficiency compared to mini-modules without any treatment. Results show the down-conversion layers increase efficiency in a first step but also suffers early degradation that requires further analysis.