Cross section of degrading solar panel (IMAGE)

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Cross section of degrading solar panel

Caption

Although moisture and water wear away at the entire outer surface of backsheets, they crack more quickly in the area between solar cells where sunlight shines through. NIST researchers propose that degradation is worse there because acetic acid, which forms when sunlight hits the the rubbery upper layers, can pass between the solar cells towards the backsheets, causing them to decay from the inside out.

Credit

N. Hanacek/NIST

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