Defining requirements for improved photovoltaic system reliability

Reliable systems are an essential ingredient of any technology progressing toward commercial maturity and large-scale deployment. This paper defines reliability as meeting system functional requirements, and then develops a framework to understand and quantify photovoltaic (PV) system reliability based on initial and ongoing costs and system value. The core elements necessary to achieve reliable PV systems are reviewed. These include appropriate system design, satisfactory component reliability, and proper installation and servicing. Reliability status, key issues, and present needs in system reliability are summarized for grid-tied applications. Published in 1999 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. This article is a US government work and is in the public domain in the United States