Introducing ‘PEARL-PV’: performance and reliability of photovoltaic systems – evaluations of large-scale monitoring data

This paper will introduce a recently initiated COST Action titled PEARL PV and show its 4-year research and work plan with the aim to create exposure, receive feedback from various stakeholders and involve new participants to this research network. The aim is i) to improve the energy performance and reliability of photovoltaic (PV) solar energy systems in Europe leading to lower costs of electricity produced by PV systems by a higher energy yield, ii) a longer life time eventually beyond the guaranteed 20 years as specified by manufacturers, and iii) a reduction in the perceived risk in investments in PV projects. This objective will be achieved by analyzing big data of the actual monitored long-term performance, defects and failures in PV systems installed all over Europe to quantitatively determine the absolute influences of components rated performance, key design of systems, installation, operation, maintenance practice, geographic location and weather factors on the performance, performance degradation over time and failure modes of these PV systems. The PEARL PV project aims at the formation of an inclusive network of PV system researchers, data resources that will be analyzed by researchers and experts that can include more-nuanced evidence-based reliability in PV system evaluation methods and simulation and design tools. The COST Action PEARL PV assembles an inclusive partnership network of PV system researchers with experience with PV monitoring and simulation, with solar resources, and with PV operators who collectively bring together their ongoing work to contribute to the collation, analysis and interpretation of an agglomeration of PV system performance data in Europe.