SPF Testing – Colored Solar Glass
The performance of photovoltaic (PV) modules depends significantly on the glass used. SPF's measurement and certification procedure for solar glass is internationally recognized as a reference standard. It evaluates the specific properties required for high-quality solar glass.
As the demand for building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) has increased, so has the demand for colored solar glass. Therefore, a method is needed to quantify the impact of colored solar glass on PV module yield that allows for comparison between different colors, finishes, and glass variants.
Correctly measuring light transmission is very complex and requires special spectrometers and sensors. Measuring colored glass is particularly challenging because angle-dependent transmission significantly influences the annual yield of solar systems.
SPF has the necessary infrastructure.
Testing of Colored Solar Glass
The impact of colored solar glass on PV modules is determined based on the following measured values:
• Optical transmission
• Incident angle modifier (IAM).
The measurement result is weighted with the yearly irradiance of a south-facing PV module in Rapperswil, SG, with an inclination of 30° or 90° (facade). The loss of yield of a PV module compared to an ideal PV module is determined by the resulting transmission and the IAM factor.
