Testing
Preview
The Ultraviolet Stress Test is designed to identify the susceptibility of photovoltaic (PV) modules to performance loss caused by UV induced degradation (UVID). Although ultraviolet radiation represents only a fraction of the solar spectrum, its high photon energy can initiate material changes leading to measurable power degradation.
UVID is more commonly observed in modern high-efficiency cell architectures – such as PERC, PERT, TOPCon, HJT, and back-contact cells – which rely on precisely engineered passivation structures to achieve superior efficiency. Certain n-type and bifacial technologies have demonstrated increased sensitivity to UV stress due to passivation instability and interface degradation. As of 2026, SUPSI PVLab’s experimental observations indicate
that a UV dose of 60 kWh/m², which corresponds to roughly one year of exposure in moderate climates, may result in an average power loss of 2–4%.
